The Nursemaid's Tale
by Ennon
Summary: In this AU, Padmé has a somewhat different fate than at the end of ROTS as she adjusts to life as a nursemaid in the Royal Alderaan household. Will her search yield what she and they want? Story COMPLETE! Happy Independence Day!
1. Default Chapter

'The Nursemaid's Tale' (A 'SW'AU)

By Ennon

Disclaimer: The'Star Wars' series of movies,TV programs, sanctioned novels, comic strips, video games, toys, etc. are the properties of George Lucas and his sanctioned co-writers, producers and I'm making no monies whatsoever from this fanfic.

A/N- This AU takes its start at the tail end of SW:ROTS and is told mainly from the POV of Padmé. I know that not everything in this conforms to previous Official ideas about the characters and settings but I'm doing my best to keep in the spirit of things. Please read and review but I ask the readers not to get too nitpicky with what doesn't exactly match Lucas's original, sanctioned vision. Will update when life permits.

Obi- Wan pulled himself the last meter of the rim of Mustafar where he saw an almost lifeless form of Padmé laying down.

"Padmé!" Obi-Wan yelled- and saw her stirring a bit.

"Threepio, Artoo! Down here! Immediately!" Obi-Wan ordered as the droids raced towards their fallen mistress.

"Artoo senses she's still breathing! "C3PO gulped after translating for the other droid.

"We must get her to the rendevous point! Hurry! I sense Palpatine's presence getting closer!" Obi-Wan exclaimed as Threepio carried the Senator's form into her cruiser but Artoo beeped.

"Artoo asks what has become of Master Anakin?" Threepio asked.

"He was horribly burned alive. It wouldn't be safe to even attempt to retrieve the remains and the shock of seeing him that way may prove too much for Padmé," Obi-Wan shuddered.

"But. .." Threepio sputtered.

" I know he constructed you but you can't stay with him- and we must leave immediately if we don't want to be captured by the Emperor!"Obi-Wan insisted.

"She's awakening!"Threepio translated after Artoo chirped what he sensed while Obi-Wan launched their ship into orbit.

"Unh, Anakin. .how could you? Our _child_," Padmé groaned-as she patted her abdomen.

"Mistress Padmé, you're unharmed!" Threepio beamed.

" I knew I pretending to collapse would be the only way to snap Anakin to stop trying to choke me. Where is he?"Padmé asked.

"I'm sorry to tell you this but. .. I tried to get him to see reason and fight off the Dark Side," Obi-Wan sighed.

"Is he. ..?" Padmé asked.

"No mortal could have survived that molten cauldron- even with the Force! "Obi-Wan exclaimed.

"I must see him one last. .." Padmé pleaded as she tried to pull Obi-Wan off the steering controls of her ship.

"NO! He was horribly burned. Nothing more than a cinder left. I can't let that be your last image of him," Obi-Wan groaned- as they went into hyperdrive.

"But his actions against the innocents. . ," Padmé convulsively sobbed.

"Please, we need to get you to a Medical Space Station to ensure you and the baby are safe," Obi-Wan pleaded as Padmé numbly nodded in agreement.

C3PO and R2D2 chirped and nodded- but didn't say anything else. There was nothing any of them could say but the mere presence of each other helped.

"I can't believe he slaughtered all those Padawans. They trusted him," Padmé sobbed while a Nurse Droid probed her to make sure she and the offspring were safe.

"I know. Palpatine wanted to use his Anakin for his Force strength to make his galactic rule as Emperor absolute," Obi- Wan groaned.

"But why would he have so easily turned against everything all of us taught him just to do Palpatine's bidding?" Padmé asked.

"The Dark Side he thought could protect you," Yoda replied.

"But how could he have thought I could live with myself under those conditions?" Padmé asked.

"The Dark Side causes one to consider passion over reason,"Obi-Wan sighed.

"You must think we were terrible to give over to passion but Anakin and I were wed so this child is Anakin's heir," Padmé exclaimed as she patted her abdomen.

"Heir?" Yoda, Obi-Wan and Senator Bail Organa asked.

"Artoo, you have permission to play the Ceremony Hologram," Padmé sighed.

Artoo did so and with it, it was concluded that Padmé and Anakin had been wed and Padmé was now his widow.

"If you are his widow and your child's Anakin's heir, ensure we must that the Emperor never either of you capture!" Yoda proclaimed while banging his staff.

"Sad that a fellow Nabootean could be so treacherous. Do you think he'd harm our child?"Padmé asked.

"He had countless children slaughtered. If he couldn't use your child for the Dark Side, he'd do the same without any hesitation," Obi-Wan sighed.

"I'm afraid you're right but where can we go? Our child isn't due for another six standard months!" Padmé pondered.

"What's that?" Threepio asked as the Nurse Droid buzzed a bit.

"What did she say?" Padmé asked.

"She said that you and your developing son and daughter are in excellent health and she sees no medical reason the three of you would not enjoy long lifespans for humans!" Threepio beamed.

"Twins!"Padmé, Obi-Wan and Senator Bail Organa gulped while Yoda nodded.

"You knew?" Senator Bail asked Yoda.

"Eight hundred years training," Yoda gloated.

"So there are TWO chances we have to restore order," Obi-Wan pondered.

"What are you talking about? You want to sacrifice my children the way their father was?" Padmé asked as she balled her hands into fists and wrapped her arms protectively around her abdomen.

"What good Anakin had rests lies with them and their powers will make things right- no matter what!" Obi-Wan pleaded.

"Yes, but as long as I'm alive, the Emperor will hunt me down to make me and the twins his own or terminate us," Padmé groaned.

Obi-Wan, Yoda, Padmé and the droids were quite uneasy but the silence was soon broken.

" I could provide sanctuary for you on Alderaan!" Senator Bail Organa suddenly exclaimed.

"Alderaan? What would I do there and would Yuermina approve?" Padmé gulped.

"Of course, just yesterday she asked me if I could find a nursemaid for Crown Prince Osric. .." Bail insisted.

"A nursemaid? But I don't have any experience. .." Padmé shuddered.

"It would be a good way to learn to take care of your own and your progeny could become **ours**!" Bail beamed.

"Will Her Majesty want another queen in her household?" Obi-Wan asked.

"Yuermina and I have holographically corresponded for years and she's been somewhat like a little mother to me," Padmé explained.

"We'd have to change your name, of course, and give you a good cover story so no Imperial spies could report on us," Bail pondered as he raised his right index finger.

"But the Emperor won't rest unless he's assured that Padmé and her offspring no longer exist," Obi-Wan sighed.

"I played dead for Anakin and it fooled him enough. We can do the same of Palpatine," Padmé gulped.

"Another look-alike have you?" Yoda asked.

"Yes, Sabé had a twin named Oosted- and if we can get word to her, I know she can do it for us!" Padmé beamed.

"But any transmission. .." Senator Bail Organa sighed.

"I can help out!" Yoda insisted as he went into a trance to call on Oosted.

"Mind meld is one thing but. ." Bail sputtered.

"Master Yoda is also a master herbal specialist. He once told me of an herb that can render a human into an unconscious state with the most shallow of breathing and the fewest heartbeats possible for a period of ten standard days, plenty of time for an open casket Nabootean Funeral Procession and interment," Obi-Wan explained.

"Then we can disinter her when no one is present and rescue her! That's brilliant!" Bail proclaimed.

"And unharmed the girl will be! Contacted her, I have and venture to Mustafar will she!" Yoda proclaimed.

"And I guess I will happen to find her lifeless form, then take her back to Naboo then stay for the funeral," Bail sighed.

"Your not on the Emperor's wanted list and it would be protocol for a Senator to attend another Senator's funeral," Obi-Wan explained.

"Not to mention a queen's consort to attend another queen's funeral but who will accompany Padmé to. ."Bail asked.

At that moment Artoo chirped and squealed a bit.

"Artoo suggests that since he is a fellow Nabootean that it's his duty to accompany his former queen and Senator to her new home and I might suggest that as a protocol droid, I would be well suited to help her adjust to Alderaan customs before her twins' arrival,"C3PO exclaimed.

" Master Yoda, Obi-Wan, why can't you come with me? My children would cherish being brought up in your brilliance!" Padmé pleaded.

"Accompany you, we cannot. Sadly. To separate exiles we must go," Yoda sighed.

"But we will make it our goals to live so we can teach them when the time is right!" Obi-Wan exclaimed.

"That face you make, worried about Anakin are you?" Yoda whispered as they walked away from Padmé.

"I can't tell whether he's in this dimension or the nether one,"Obi-Wan sighed.

"Sense I cannot either,"Yoda groaned.

"Surely the Force would tell us one way or. .."Obi-Wan sighed.

"Protection of his progeny, concern our first!"Yoda insisted.

"What happens if Palpatine goes to the funeral on Naboo?"Obi-Wan asked.

"To divert him from that, I will," Yoda insisted.

So, Obi-Wan soon flew Padmé's ship back to Mustafar with Bail following him in his own- and in Mustafar, he soon hid. himself in a transport to take him to his exile. Yoda had taken his own ship back and saw to it that no trace of it could be found as soon as he arrived at his place of exile.

Meantime, Bail found Padmé's lookalike Oosted on Mustafar's surface and gave her Padmé's clothing to wear with pregnant padding to simulate Padmé's condition before she squeezed her own neck to simulate the bruise Anakin had left on her mistress's neck and then she consumed Yoda's herb to simulate death while the funeral preparations went flawlessly with not a single Nabootean knowing otherwise. Palpatine was set to make a grand entrance of attendance when suddenly a riot broke out on Kessel due to vaporous gases causing an explosion from the mines that harmed no one but caused great panic amongst the miners. The Galactic Empire depended too heavily on Kessel's spices for the Emperor to ignore the riot thus, he abruptly cancelled his funereal attendance. Virtually all on Naboo would thus remember their Senator and former Queen's funeral as the last day of autonomy from the Empire. Five days later, Bail secretly disinterred Oosted from Padmé's vault then spirited her into exile unharmed.

"Artoo, control yourself!" Threepio chided his shorter companion who excitedly squealed as the rather cramped, dilapidated space cruiser entered Alderaan's upper atmosphere less than a day after they last saw Yoda, ObiWan and Bail.

"It's OK, Artoo! It does look like a good place for all of us to start over," Padmé laughed as she steered the controls of the used cruiser Obi-Wan had somehow bartered for her use.

"Mistress Padmé, is there anything else Artoo and I could do to help?"Threepio asked.

" Just know that no matter what happens to us on Alderaan, I'll always appreciate what you two did for us and what we've been through," Padmé sighed.

"This is Alderaan Space Control Tower, give us a landing code," the control tower barked from monitor.

"Here's the code. .. ." Padmé replied as she gave it.

"Your are clear for landing from Coruscant at Her Majesty's Personal Command in Landing Bay NX-789 Welcome Mamie Voluscian,"the control tower replied.

"Coruscant? But we came from. ..!" Threepio sputtered before Padmé put her hand over his mouth so the control tower wouldn't hear him before the transmission was over.

"Shh!" Padmé pleaded.

". . .and your name is Padmé Amidala Skywalker, Senator and former Queen of Naboo, widow of the Jedi Master Anakin Skywalker!" Threepio indignantly sniffed as Padmé took her hand off his mouth opening right after the transmission.

"I know! I know but I think Yuermina wants us to start anew- and that may not be a bad thing," Padmé gulped as she steered the craft to a rather dense and busy cluster of landing bays.

"Where's the Welcoming Carpet and Committee? Hardly fitting protocol for a Senator," Threepio sneered.

"Queen Yuermina wants me to be her Crown Prince's nursemaid so we'd better cease thinking of me as being anything more than that," Padmé deeply groaned.

"But Mistress Padmé . ." Threepio protested.

"The survival of my babies depend on everyone thinking me as a nursemaid," Padmé pleaded as she squeezed the tiny ship into its landing dock.

The ship's hatch opened and they were greeted by a silver protocol droid.

"I'm C7FO.Nurse Mamie Voluscian, Her Majesty,Yuermina VII, Queen Regnant of Alderaan has dispatched me to transport you and your accompanying servant droids to the Royal Palace in Aldera City," the silver protocol droid droned.

"Good to see someone familiar looking. I'm C3. ." Threepio started to say.

"I'm aware of your identities. No further talking necessary," the silver protocol droid barked.

"How rude!" Threepio sniffed.

Soon the hovercraft transport led them to the shining, wide streets of Aldera City which was dominated by a 3000 meter tall mountain- atop which was the 2500 room Royal Palace gleaming like a jewel surrounded by its own park over the classical city. Padmé couldn't help but be in awe of this gleaming new home but her resolve was slightly diminished when C7FO's hovercraft bypassed the wide, shining entrance gates of the Royal Palace for a smaller tunnel.

"The SERVANTS' Entrance!" Threepio gasped and would have said more but for a pleading look from Padmé.

Effoh parked the hovercraft as tunnel door sealed behind them.

"Follow me to your quarters," Effoh barked as the soon walked countless hallways and rode several elevators upwards until they were in marbled, white airy Royal Apartments.

"This is much better," Threepio gloated.

"Your Royal Majesty!" Effoh exclaimed as the older woman with dark brown hair in a shimmering white, embroidered gown came into the room leading a small boy of about two years old by the hand who ran up and hugged Padmé's knees.

"Leave us and take the Crown Prince with you for the time being, Effoh- and if I catch you spying on us, I'll have your memory erased!" Queen Yuermina commanded.

"Yes, Your Majesty!"C7FO gulped.

"Yuermee-!"Padmé started to say.

"Cease! You are Crown Prince Osric's nursemaid so you are to address me as Your Majesty and Ma'am," Queen Yuermina snapped.

"Yes, Your Majesty," Padmé groaned as she curtseyed.

"I know you have suffered the loss of your husband- just as I have the loss of my younger child," Queen Yuermina sighed in a more compassionate tone.

"Oh, Yuer. .Your Majesty," Padmé gulped.

"I was as far along as you with my firstborn daughter when all the stress of what's been happening in Corcusant and concern for the Senator/Prince Consort's safety caused a miscarriage. No one knows but the Senator/Prince Consort- as I erased that from the Medical Droid's memory,"Queen Yuermina explained.

"I'm sorry, Your Majesty,"Padmé sighed.

"But your progeny will become **mine** to make up for it," Queen Yuermina insisted.

"May I make one small request, Your Majesty?" Padmé asked.

"Very well, Mamie- and that's all any of us to address you by from this point onwards," Queen Yuermina sighed.

"Since I'm to carry then bear. .. the progeny," Padmé gulped- for she was still stunned at the idea of her own children being considered belonging to someone else entirely.

"Yes, Mamie?" Queen Yuermina asked.

" I was wondering if I could at least name them," Padmé sighed.

"So be it. Fair enough," Queen Yuermina sighed.

"Excuse me, Your Majesty, but what are our duties?" Threepio asked.

"Mamie will be the Crown Prince's nursemaid until. .my progeny are born. This would be a good time for you and Artoo to help her tend to her duties and, Threepio, you are to teach Mamie all the necessary customs of Alderaan. I don't want to have repeat myself," Queen Yuermina explained.

"As you wish, Your Majesty," Threepio proclaimed while Artoo sputtered a bit in dislike of his new mistress.

"I trust your quarters are sufficient. They overlook the Palace Lake and command a brilliant view of Aldera and some of the surrounding countryside," Queen Yuermina beamed.

"They're very pleasant, Your Majesty," Padmé insisted.

"Good. Now's the time to forget who you were and concentrate on being the best nursemaid possible to Osric so you'll have enough practice for my impending progeny! Effoh, bring the Crown Prince back to his quarters," Queen Yuermina commanded while touching the common-link at the last second.

The toddler Crown Prince ran in.

"Mama!"Osric beamed.

"Meet you new Nursemaid Mamie! She'll help you learn everything you need to know so you can be the best King possible of Alderaan one day!" Queen Yuermina beamed as she kneeled down and kissed her son.

"Is Papa here?" Osric asked.

"I explained to you that Papa is in Naboo attending a funeral of a dear family friend, Queen Padmé! Too bad you never got to know. I think you would have liked her," Queen Yuermina sighed as she looked straight into Padmé's eyes before she left her nursmaid's quarters.

"Excuse me, Mamie?" Threepio said- a bit confused about his former mistresses's new name.

"Yes, Threepio?" Padmé asked.

"But this might be a good time to explain that while Alderaan has been a representative democracy for millennia and the monarch is strictly a ceremonial head of state , the Alderaan Monarchy has been a strictly heriditary one with a predominantly male primogeniture succession- unlike the elected Nabootean Monarchy!"Threepio sniffed.

"Oh, it's for the best! We must keep telling ourselves that," Padmé deeply sighed as she clutched her abdomen but then allowed herself to be dragged off to Crown Prince Osric's Quarters by her new charge.


	2. Birth and Afterbirth

'Birth and Afterbirth' (Chapter Two)

By Ennon

Disclaimer: See Chapter One

"Am I supposed to wear this or camp out in this?" Padmé asked - as she struggled to put on a large white all-enveloping gown with large puffy sleeves and totally formless similar to a nun's habit that only left her head and hands visible .

"It's your Official Alderaan Royal Nursemaid Uniform,"snapped the protocol droid C7FO.

"Her Majesty's idea, correct?" Padmé sighed.

"How did you guess?" C7FO sniffed.

"Oh, it just goes with everything else," Padmé groaned .

She realized that with this uniform, no one could possibly tell whether she was expecting offspring or not- for it was so fluffy, no one could tell if the wearer had the figure of a walking staff- or a Hutt within.

Padmé discovered that, although somewhat spoiled by his mother, Crown Prince Osric wasn't that hard to care for- as far as two-year-old boys went. He strongly resembled his father Bail and, was closer to Bail's easygoing personality than his Yuermina's dogmatic one. Padmé did everything from being ready to play with him when he awoke, to dressing him, to cutting up his food and helping to feed him, to bathing him and even cleaning him up after bodily functions.

Shortly more than a week later, C7FO entered Padmé's Nursemaid's Apartment.

"Nursemaid Mamie, His Royal Highness Bail Organa, Prince Consort and Senator of Alderaan has returned and Her Royal Majesty, Yuermina VII, Queen Regnant of Alderaan summons you to bring His Royal Highness, Osric, Crown Prince of Alderaan to help her welcome back the Prince Consort,""C7PO droned.

"Bail is back? How wonderful!" Padmé beamed.

"Her Majesty told me to remind you that you are to address him as Your Highness and Sir,"C7FO droned sharply.

"C7, I was wondering if I. ." Threepio started to ask.

"Her Majesty made no summons for your presence so you and the R2 are to remain here until further ordered,"the silver droid C7FO droned as he left the room

"Why such a bore was given speech capacity, I'll never understand!" Threepio sniffed.

"Oh, it'll be so good to see such a familiar face again!" Padmé cheered.

"Excuse me Mistress Pad. .I mean Nursemaid Mamie, but aren't R2 and I. ..?" Threepio asked.

"Sorry, guys. You most certainly have helped during this but I ache to hear news of the rest of the galaxy!" Padmé sighed as she started to dress Osric in the clothes his mother had chosen for the occasion.

When she led the young prince to his parents, she heard them speak in a previously unheard of language.

"Blep hyu dru broka zep. .." Bail was heard speaking to Yuermina.

"Vro blu kroi. .sh! Shh! They're here!" Yuermina pleaded while she continued her embrace.

"Osric, come here, boy! Give your old man a bearhug!" Bail beamed while Osric ran towards him.

"Papa!" Osric beamed while jumping into his arms.

"Yuermina, I'm glad to see that Osric's doing well with our new nursemaid!" Bail exclaimed.

"Yes, Beloved. You made an excellent selection as always!" Yuermina beamed in a far warmer and somewhat lustful tone of voice.

"Nursemaid Mamie, I take it you don't consider our son too taxing for you," Bail exclaimed.

"We're doing our best to get to know each other!" Padmé exclaimed.

"And our cuisine and fresh air is keeping you in good health?" Bail asked.

"Oh, yes, Your Highness," Padmé replied- a bit sad that she could no longer address her recent Senatorial collegue as an equal.

"That's a relief to hear! Our son and our future progeny cannot remain healthy if you aren't healthy to tend them," Bail exclaimed- while patting Yuermina's abdomen but momentarily looking at the region of Padmé's abdomen was under her nursemaid's uniform obscuring it.

So, they were going to pretend the Yuermina was her twins' mother even during the gestation and Padmé herself wasn't carrying them,Padmé realized in a flash.

"Yes, Your Highness. How was your journey and how was . ..everyone in Naboo?" Padmé gulped .

"My collegue's funeral was sad but beautiful as funerals go. Nothing else worth reporting," Bail replied- while he flashed Yuermina a troubled look.

"Nursemaid Mamie, the Prince Consort and I have a great deal to catch up on so you'll need to be taking the Crown Prince back to his Nursery," Yuermina insisted.

"Yes, Your Majesty. Come along, Osric," Padmé sighed as she walked away.

"Blerp nay Xuic," Yuermina started to say to Bail as Padmé and Osric left the chamber.

As she walked back to the nursery, she spied Threepio around the corner.

"What are you doing here?"Padmé whispered.

"Please don't let them de-activate me but I heard the queen and senator use a communication form that's NOT one of the six million languages I am versed in- and I was curious as to what it could be," Threepio gulped.

"Same here- and I think they were talking about all of us," Padmé sighed.

Padmé found she had little time to herself while she tended to Osric but one thing she looked forward to was his nap times so she could change out of her cumbersome tent-uniforms (which were duly cleaned by laundry droids the second anything spotted their immaculate vestments) and look out of her windows onto the Palace Lake, Aldera City and the surrounding countryside. Yuermina and Bail would ask her about her health and, of course, were happy to see her when she presented Osric to them to bid them goodnight but very quickly had virtually nothing to do with her on a day-to-day basis. The other Royal human and sentient being servants were a bit aloof from her- and considered that her daily care of the Crown Prince put her out of their league- and the droids barely spoke to R2 and Threepio- and not to her at all unless they wanted to direct a command. Padmé was given access to the Royal Holographic Library and she spent Osric's nap times catching up on classical Galactic literature that she'd always promised she'd get to when she had time and even going for solitary walks around the Palace Lake and its surrounding forest but it wasn't easy to walk in the tent uniforms- for Padmé often tripped not being able to see her own slipper-encased feet beneath her. Still, she did the best she could with what free time she had to explore the Royal Palace which had been originally a fortress then a castle, then a temple city perched on the volcanic remnant known as Aldera Rock 3000 meters above the rest of Aldera City. Over time the Royal Palace with its over 2000 rooms and dozens of levels became laid out in a series of squares with the largest central square containing the Palace Lake (originally the ancient fortress's water supply).

Padmé was given access to almost all the Palace grounds but the few times she'd tried to venture beyond there, the guard droids would block access then Yuermina and Bail would lecture her about how she could not leave Osric unattended and how it was not safe for her 'as a Royal servant' to venture beyond the Palace.

As time went on, life became more restricted for Padmé and she found that remembering what life had been like before her arrival was painful and it was becoming increasingly difficult to keep up with Osric as he became a faster runner and climber and stronger while her hidden condition was becoming almost as cumbersome as the nursemaid's uniform itself-especially with the twins so active within and her bladder matching said activity.

Then came she was a form of three-dimensional hopscotch with Osric by the Palace Lake courtyard when her water broke and soaked the layers of undergarments and hosiery beneath the huge uniform!

"R2! Get help!" Padmé screamed.

"Mamie, what's wrong?" Osric asked.

"Nothing, it's . .. time for. . . your younger siblings' arrival!" Padmé exclaimed.

"I'll get Mama!" Osric exclaimed.

"C7, get Osric out of here at once!" Yuermina (who herself had padded her gown more and more with each successive month to appear more and more pregnant) exclaimed-as she came with the accompanying silver droid.

"But Mama. .. " Osric sputtered.

"Causing your nursemaid to have a . .. wee-wee accident. Shame on you, Osric! " Yuermina exclaimed.

"Mama, I don't like C7. I want to stay here!" Osric yelled.

" As long as I'm the Queen and your mother, you'll do as you're ordered!" Yuermina boiled as the silver droid took him away.

"Your Majesty, I. .." Padmé shuddered.

"Poor thing- and you broke your ankle,too! You'll have to be restricted to the secondary nursemaid's quarters until it heals and it looks as though I and the droids will have to tend you," Yuermina ordered.

"But. ." Padmé sputtered.

"No time! We can't have everyone witnessing a public scene here!" Yuermina sniffed.

It wasn't long before Padmé was in a bedroom that hadn't been used in decades but had been prepared for the impending birth. She noticed, that, unlike her usual room, this one had no windows to speak of and was accessible only through a hidden panel in a wall in one of the dozens of back hallways but she knew she was directly behind the Majestic Apartments themselves.

"Threepio, you and R2 are to attend to Nursemaid Mamie as she gives birth," Yuermina ordered as she finished helping Padmé undress for the birth itself.

"But, Your Majesty, I'm a protocol droid and. .." Threepio protested.

"No more commonplace protocol than childbirth. Do as you are ordered,"Yuermina sniffed.

"But, where will you be?"Padmé asked.

"Oh, after the birth happens, I'll go into sudden labor so no one in the court doesn't believe the child isn't mine," Yuermina sighed.

"Child? They're twins!" Padmé pleaded but Bail arrived and said something in that unknown language to Yuermina before the two left the room to leave Padmé with only 3PO, R2 and a medical droid to attend her.

It wasn't long afterwards that Padmé had her first labor pain and R2 insisted that Padmé had to get on her feet to pace back and forth until the pains became constant. Padmé had studied enough obstetric holograph texts in the Royal Library to know R2 was right.

She also had learned from the holographic library that the unknown language Yuermina and Bail spoke when not wanting anyone else to understand them was Royal Alderaan which had once been the everyday language of the planet but after Alderaan became part of the Galactic Republic, like most other dominant worlds, Corusantic had replaced it in everyday use. Over the centuries the use informally became restricted to planetary government, then the Alderaan Royal Family until finally only the Monarchs and Consorts of Alderaan were allowed for their own use and it hadn't been spoken even by other royals in over 4000 standard years. Only upon a monarch's accession and a consort's marriage could it be learned be them- not earlier.

"A slave boy's children being born in a palace, who could have imagined?" Padme half-laughed while she had taken to the childbed to ready herself for the birth.

After another fifteen standard hours, Padmé could feel the first baby's head ready for the birth canal and she screamed.

The nurse droid made a buzzing sound.

"She says. Lucky for you, this room is entirely soundproof from the outside," translated Threepio.

"He's coming!"Padmé screamed.

"She said you are correct and. . . what are you doing here?" gulped Threepio- as the Jedi Master Yoda suddenly opened the hidden door and came into the room.

"Yoda!" Padmé exclaimed half-surprised but entirely puzzled.

"Yes, will be the firstborn a boy!" Yoda agreed.

"But how did you find . .!"Padmé asked.

"Told me they did ,of their imminent arrival. Here, I must be!" Yoda explained as he wrinkled his face.

"Are you sure?" Padmé asked.

"Yes,worry not. I've seen many and ways of childbirth know I well!" Yoda sniffed.

"He's coming!" Padmé screamed.

"Push! You must," Yoda exclaimed as Bail and Yuermina entered the room while Padmé grabbed Yoda's tiny hand.

"OW! Strong are you but not as strong as the Force!" Yoda gingerly replied.

"I see the head!" Yuermina exclaimed.

"One more push!" Threepio pleaded after translating for the nurse droid.

" SCREAM !" Padmé exclaimed.

"A healthy boy !" Yoda exclaimed while grabbing from between Padmé's legs then holding the newborn blond boy in his green arms and washing him in the small basin next to the bed.

"His father turned to the Dark Side so we must see that this one goes to the Light and so I'm naming him Luke which can mean 'light' in Ancient Naboo," Padmé declared.

A/N- Luke is a derivative of the Latin 'luce' on Earth- but by coincidence it also can be that in Ancient Nabootean.

" Very good. Well, you've chosen !" Yoda exclaimed.

"Here _she_ comes!" Padmé exclaimed.

"Our firstborn daughter!" Bail beamed as he and Yuermina clutched hands.

"I know. Another push!" Padmé sighed just before she took a deep breath and pushed.

"A healthy girl, you have!" Yoda exclaimed while the nurse droid took the brunette newborn girl from the between Padmé's legs.

"Leia you shall be! That means 'nurturer'- and you will nurture the flame of hope even during the worst darkness!" Padmé exclaimed as the droid nurse handed Leia to her to nurse.

At that moment Yoda shook.

"Anakin," Padmé thought she heard Yoda whisper.

"Did you say Anakin?" Padmé asked.

"Concern yourself not," Yoda sniffed.

"Just hand me Luke so I hold him along with his sister in my arms. I'm ready to nurse them," Padmé exhaustedly but happily beamed.

"We know! I've told everyone that you've received hormones so you can nurse. . .Leia while you tend to her," Yuermina sighed.

"Forgive me for what must I do," Yoda sighed as he put the newborn Luke in a large covered bedpan and started carrying him away.

"NO!" Padmé screamed.

"It's for the best," Bail sighed.

"Bring back my son!" Padmé screamed.

"Two chicks in two nests harder to stamp out than two chicks in one," Yoda explained.

"Bail, Yuermina! You promised to raise them **both** here!" Padmé sobbed as she tried to climb out of her childbed.

"Yoda's right. Besides, we only want a daughter! The boy could cause too much trouble," Bail Organa groaned.

"But, WHY!" Padmé sobbed.

"We promised we'd take care of your progeny. We didn't' say both," Yuermina sniffed.

" I'd have never agreed to separate them!" Padmé seethed.

"That's why we couldn't let you understand all the terms until you had safely borne our daughter!" Yuermina sighed while Bail sadly nodded.

"No! Luke's a good baby! He won't cause trouble" Padmé screamed as she tried to climb out of bed but was held back by Bail while Yoda opened the hidden door and carried away Luke with surprising ease- considering that Luke was already almost his size.

"Make him bring Luke back!" Padmé screamed.

"Nothing doing. Osric's my heir but if Osric dies heirless before _I_ do, he'd be succeeded by his eldest living brother . Luke would have been succeeded to the throne before any future younger brothers I bore but would have been unmasked as an Imposter at the Coronation by the Ceremonial Alderaan Royal DNA Test Proclamation," Yuermina explained.

"But what about Leia?" Padmé asked.

"She'll be Princess Royal but will be displaced from the line of succession by any younger brothers Bail and I conceive . Don't worry! We'll keep the two of you safe but you must never reveal your maternity – OR the _paternity_," sniffed Yuermina who wagged her finger at Padmé.

"Your Majesty, I must protest how unfair and against protocol you are being to a fellow queen and her offspring!" Threepio sputtered.

"What impertinence! That will never do for a droid! I'll have your memory erased at once along with this medical droid's then demote you to programming binary load lifters," Yuermina boiled as she and Bail left the room leading with Threepio.

"Please don't, Your Majesty! I won't disobey!" Threepio was heard to exclaim while Artoo made mournful beeps before the door shut behind them.

"Lucky for you, most humans underestimate your capacities, Artoo," Padmé sighed while patting Artoo's top lens.

"It's just the three of us, now- and I don't know for how much longer I'll be able to hold onto Leia," Padmé sniffed.

A few hours later, Padmé turned on the Viso-Hologram to seek out Viso Programs when she saw a news flash.

"We now go live to the Aldera Great Temple where the 500 Metric Ton Royal Bell is due to ring momentarily as it has done for 15 thousand standard years to proclaim royal births. We must remind our viewers that if it tolls eighteen bells, that means Her Majesty has born a princess but if it tolls twenty-one times, then it's a prince! . . Seventeen. .eighteen. . … no more tolls. It's a Princess Royal for Crown Prince Osric to be an older brother to,"the droid announcer proclaimed.

"Hand her to me, now!" Bail pleaded as he entered the Padmé's room.

Bail brushed Baby Leia's eyelashes with his right index finger quite gently as he took her out of the room.

Before Padmé had a chance to react, she saw the coverage on the Viso-Hologram switch again.

"We now go live to Her Majesty's Majestic Bedchamber," the droid was heard to say.

Padmé was quite flabbergasted to see Yuermina with her elaborate cinnamon bun hairstyle disheveled and hanging loosely while she wanly was clutching a baby- _Padmé's__ baby_!

"Your Majesty, we understand that, unlike the previous birth with the Crown Prince, this one was too sudden to summon all the officials in time," the droid reporter was heard to ask.

"Yes, that's quite true! But, she and I are both healthy. Isn't she beautiful?" Yeurmina asked while holding Baby Leia .

"I'm very proud of both my girls and think Leia could very well follow my footsteps in the diplomatic field," Bail proclaimed.

If Padmé hadn't known that she herself had born Leia just hours earlier, she'd have believed everything she was seeing like everyone else watching the viso-hologram.

"So much happening. We understand there was a small accident in one of the courtyards earlier today and. ."the reporter droid started to say.

"Oh, yes. A servant slipped and broke her ankle but she'll mend soon enough to help with Leia so all's well," Yuermina proclaimed.

"Turn it off, Artoo. I know I'll soon be tending her again but how I can ever make it up to Leia having everything about her being a lie from the start," Padmé sobbed while Artoo mournfully beeped.

A/N- McAries- Glad you consider it interesting and I know Yuermina's not entirely likable but she conveniently considers her reasons for everyone's good. Don't write off Padmé (or anyone else) here just yet, though. Hope this chapter's worthwhile to you.


	3. Chrysalis

'Chrysalis' (Chapter Three)

By Ennon

After an exhaustive labor having endured the last six standard months of her pregnancy simultaneously trying to hide it while pretending her benefactress was the impending mother of her offspring, Padmé was quite wiped out and would have easily been tempted to escape to the sanctuary of sleep but she had just had her newborn son Luke taken away from her by Yoda and the newborn Leia was being held and cuddled by her new 'mother' Yuermina for all the dignitaries (and Alderaan viso-holograph viewers) to see. Padmé couldn't rest until Leia at least was back in her arms for her to nurse- yet even then she knew she'd never have a fulfilling sleep until she could make things right for Luke,too.

Less than an hour after they had been parted, Leia was returned to her awaiting arms and Padmé held onto the last member of her family for dear life while laughing and sobbing simultaneously until Leia was fed and ready for sleep.

"How would such a precious being ever understand her brother being torn away from us? How would she ever understand that the Emperor would take her for his evil uses or kill her? How would she ever understand that so shortly after her own conception, her father allied himself with the Emperor- and it would cost him his life and our freedom?" Padmé quietly asked herself as she let herself go to sleep.

She'd dream the same dreams of being reunited with Anakin and feeling his form once again- but then seeing his enticing eyes being turned into that unnatural yellow color and feeling his hands trying to crush the very life from her throat as she tried to save him!

Luckily, Leia would awaken several times during the night to be fed and changed so Padmé wouldn't have to dwell very long on these thoughts. Padmé had read all she could about caring for babies during her pregnany and put her knowledge to good use while she tended to the newborn Leia. As long as they were together, Padmé had some solace and comfort. In another week, with a large bandage on Padmé's right ankle to dupe Crown Prince Osric of it having been broken, Padmé and Leia returned to the Royal Nursery to join him. Even though she no longer was encumbered by being pregnant with full-term twins and she'd recovered her strength somewhat during the week she'd stayed in bed after the birth, Padmé found it was somewhat difficult to tend to her now three-year-old charge while feeding, bathing and changing her newborn daughter- his 'sister'! So many otherwise quiet moments she would have relished the solitude of being with her new daughter were shattered by his noisy, boisterous chatter and boundless energy. Padmé knew Osric wasn't deliberately trying to make things more difficult for her and Leia but this was happening nonetheless. The moments with Leia alone were very precious to Padmé but quite fleeting and in another eleven months would be even more so with Bail and Yuermina's 2nd son being born- Prince Crolock Organa so she'd have one toddler and two babies to care for. Padmé would be somewhat sad when Yuermina and Bail would take Leia and her 'brothers' to public events and Padmé was unable to accompany them as she was restricted to Palace Grounds. And, the first time Leia hugged Yuermina on her own nearly broke Padmé's heart- despite intellectually knowing that Leia had to consider Yuermina and Bail to be her actual parents if Leia was to survive. Still, nothing could take away the pleasure Padmé derived when celebrated to herself the milestones when Leia would roll over on her own, then sleep through an entire night without needing feeding, then started to crawl and make babbling noises, then walk and actually learn to speak. But even those weren't enough to compensate Padmé. She kept trying to tell herself that accepting the status quo with being her own daughter's nursemaid was for the best but she knew something wasn't quite right. Something was missing in the equation. It was Luke. She couldn't shake the sadness of his loss any more than she could cease mourning the Anakin she had loved- before the Dark Side. But maybe one day, she could just learn to be a nursemaid who'd be content with fleeting moments with her last family member that she could never reveal the truth to. And Leia would be too satisfied being a member of the Organa Family with two brothers to ever consider the possibility of her having a twin brother out there somewhere, Padmé tried to tell herself.

One day when Leia was almost three standard years, her 'brother' nearly six-year-old Crown Prince Osric bounded in from his tutorial lesson and insisted on watching a viso-hologram program.

"Mamie, I want to watch 'Knuckles Nebula Bounty Hunter'" Osric demanded.

"He's boring! I wanna 'Galaxy Girls'?" Leia asked.

"Children, your baby brother Crolock needs his nap!" Padmé sighed.

"Can we watch a show about butterflies they're quiet!" Leia asked while Padmé gave her a hug.

"You children watch too many viso-hologram shows as it is but, five minutes then we let Crolock take his nap in peace," Padmé sighed- as she touched the keypad by the viso-hologram to choose from one of over 10 million galactic viso-hologram channels ( 9 million from Coruscant alone, 300 from Alderaan).

"The Brochus butterfly on Hoth emerges from its chrysalis to mate and reproduce during the 3 week long spring thaw every 400 standard years and. .." the narration started to say when.

"We override all Imperial Galactic Channels to beam an important message from His Imperial Majesty, " the announcer droned.

"Eww! Someone needs to put a leash on him!" Leia piped up when she saw a black masked announcer become visible.

"Hundreds of mineral and scrapmetal space freighter vessels bound for Coruscant have been commandeered by unknown parties in the last standard month. All Imperial Subjects are to help apprehend and capture the responsible parties and seek out the stolen goods- or the Empire will wipe out your settlements from the Galaxy," a second announcer droned while mechanically breathing.

"Boo! Bang! Bang!" Crown Prince Osric shouted at the viso-holograph form while pretending to shoot at it.

Padmé practically fainted when she saw and heard the announcer as she could feel her blood run cold.

"This has been Lord Darth Vader speaking on behalf of His Imperial Majesty, Palpatine, Emperor of the Galactic Empire," the second announcer concluded- as the viso-hologram program returned to the regularly scheduled program.

"What is it?" Leia asked.

"Nothing. It doesn't concern us. That's enough viso-hologram shows for now. Let's go outside to the Palace Lake Courtyard and play some games. We could use the fresh air," Padmé pleaded while leading the three youngsters out of the nursery.

"But I want to watch. ." Crown Prince Osric pleaded.

"Her Majesty would prefer you play," Padmé sighed.

Padmé knew she had to talk to Bail and Yuermina at once.

That night after she'd put her three charges to bed (including Leia), she went to their sitting room (having received permission)

""What is it, Mamie? Is something wrong with any of the children?" Yuermina asked.

"They seemed perfectly healthy when they kissed us goodnight!" Bail added.

"So right, Darling! They take after your healthy stock!" Yuermina beamed-without a trace of irony over Leia revealed.

"No, Your Majesty. Osric, Leia and Crolock are perfectly healthy. What do you and His Highness know about . . Darth Vader?" Padmé gulped.

Bail and Yuermina looked at each other quickly then cut off each other's look before(they thought) Padmé had noticed.

"Oh, he's an Imperial strongarm bully who likes to make a show of anger every so often," Bail tried to shrug off.

"Where did you hear about . ..?" Yuermina asked.

"He interrupted the children's viso-hologram program with a threatening announcement about capturing stolen Imperial freighters or getting destroyed by the Empire," Padmé gulped.

"Yes, we heard about the freighters being stolen but that doesn't concern us. Coruscant's 5000 light years away and Alderaan has abundant resources. None of our subjects would. .. " Yuermina sniffed.

"I know that but do you think this Lord Vader could make trouble?" Padmé asked.

"He's subject to the Imperial Senate and Regional Governors. He can't bother us," Bail half-laughed.

"There's no need to be concerned. He's. . ." Yuermina added.

"Anakin Skywalker!" Padmé shouted then looked around and covered her mouth.

"Anakin Skywalker! That's ridiculous! Everyone knows that Anakin Skywalker died in Mustafar after that lava fight with Obi-Wan . ."Bail tried to laugh.

"And he speaks with a much deeper voice than Anakin ever did," Yuermina added.

"How could you think. ..?" Bail asked.

"I know in my heart," Padmé whispered low enough for only the two to hear.

"The heart has no brains!" Bail sniffed.

"If anyone could have survived it, it's Anakin Skywalker," Padmé pleaded.

"Ridiculous! Darth Vader has nothing to do with Anakin Skywalker," Yuermina sniffed.

"What about Luke?" Padmé asked.

"Um, Luke . .who?" Yuermina coolly asked while giving Padmé a daggered look.

"You know who! Have you heard anything about how Luke is or what steps are being taken to protect-" Padmé pleaded.

"That's not your concern any more," Yuermina coolly sighed.

"Now, you just be the best nursemaid possible to my children and all will be fine!" Bail insisted.

"Very well, Your Highness," Padmé sighed.

Padmé walked away as loudly as she could in her slippers then tiptoed quietly back and heard them talking in Royal Alderaan to each other. What they hadn't known was that while they would take the children on royal ceremony duties outside the palace, this left Padmé with ample time to herself which put to use. Making use of one of Yuermina's fingerprints (Padmé had lifted from a nursery )to unlock the Royal Alderaan Language Tutorial Hologram, Padmé had learned the almost-dead language to uncover what Bail and Yuermina were talking about. Mostly, it was very intimate, sensual and lustful talk to each other that would have been unbecoming for the children, servants or any of their subjects to have understood the meaning of, but once in a while it was about larger issues.

This time it was about Padmé's discovery of Darth Vader being Anakin Skywalker!

"Now what?" Yuermina asked(in Royal Alderaan)

" I don't know. As long as she doesn't tell Leia. .." Bail pondered(in Royal Alderaan).

"We can't chance that! I thought we'd never have to contend with her finding out," Yuermina groaned (in Royal Alderaan).

"I know but we can't let her do anything stupid that could destroy ALL of us," Bail sighed (in Royal Alderaan).

"As long as she knows we're protecting Leia, she won't do anything to put us in danger," Yuermina sighed (in Royal Alderaan).

"I know but how will she live with the knowledge that her husband survived AND is willing to destroy any sentient being or planet-regardless of age and gender for the Emperor's bidding?"Bail groaned (in Royal Alderaan).

"I'm not sure how it will manifest but we must keep a close eye on her from this point on- for ALL our sakes," Yuermina sighed(in Royal Alderaan).

"I know- and we must get Leia and the boys to become independent of her soon," Bail added (in Royal Alderaan).

"But Padmé won't rest as long as she doesn't know what's become of Luke," Yuermina sighed(in Royal Alderaan).

" I know but can you really blame her?" Bail asked (in Royal Alderaan).

"No, Darling, I can't . However; Yoda snuck here from his exile at great risk to his own safety to take Luke and hasn't given us any further word, "Yuermina groaned (in Royal Alderaan).

Padmé tiptoed away having heard enough. She HAD to find Luke to make sure he was safe! Padmé wasn't sure how or when but she couldn't live without knowing both Luke and Leia were safe from the Emperor nd the man who their father had become-Darth Vader!

A/N- McAries- Glad you understand about motives. More to come and thanks for writing!


	4. Grubbing for Transport

'Grubbing for Transport' (Chapter Four)

By Ennon

Padmé spent the rest of the night thinking back to Mustafar and what might have happened to Anakin. She thought she'd heard Obi-Wan say he'd felt the Emperor's presence right before they took off. Of course, the Emperor must have somehow gotten to Anakin in time and. ..

After a considerable amount of tossing and turning, she'd concluded that Leia was as safe from Vader as she could be under the circumstances with the Royal Alderaan protection- and Bail had successfully kept his opposition to the Emperor under the radar to help Alderaan maintain some autonomy. Leia would be safe at least until she was sure Luke was, Padmé concluded. She couldn't count the number of times Leia must have caught her crying as she went to sleep in the same room- and when she first awoke. But when would be the best time to seek out Luke? The answer came the very next morning.

"Nursemaid Mamie, Her Majesty instructs you to ready the younger children for their excursion in three hours," the silver droid C7FO droned.

"Excursion? Where are. ..?" Padmé asked.

"The Queen and Prince Consort/Senator are to take their younger offspring to Yavin to explore the temple ruins for ten days- and you are the help His Highness's youngest sister, Her Grace, Lady Tia Organa care for the Crown Prince," C7 droned.

"But why isn't Osric going. .?"Padmé tried to ask.

"That's not for you to question," C7 questioned.

Padmé was a bit apprehensive at this news- for this would be Leia's first outworld excursion since before she was born- and Padmé hated saying goodbye to Leia (as well as her 'brothers') even temporarily.

Still, ten days might be enough of a window for her to leave Alderaan, find Luke then return- if only she could leave the Palace, find a transport to the space port then find a space cruiser to. .. wherever Yoda was. How was she going to find Yoda when the entire Empire with its agents and bounty hunters had come up empty? Where did he once say his species was from? She'd have to work that out.

"Why can't I go with you and Papa?" Osric whined to Yuermina while Padmé got Leia and Crolock ready in their travel clothes.

"Because you're my Heir Appearant and this will be good practice for you to do the rituals on your own so you'll be ready when your time comes," Yuermina beamed.

"But I don't wanna stay with Aunt Tia," Osric groaned.

"You'll be with Nursemaid Mamie. She'll take good care of you,"Bail insisted.

"And your aunt will help you through the rituals of greeting our guests during Subject Lovedays," Yuermina exclaimed.

"Are you sure he's ready for that?" Padmé asked.

"He's nearly six now and it will be a good time for the Alderaan subjects to see their future king up close," Yuermina added.

"Aren't you excited about seeing those temples,Leia?" Bail asked.

"Sure, but why can't Mamie come with us, Papa?" Leia asked.

"We already explained to you that she's needed here to help your Aunt Tia care for Osric during Subject Lovedays," Yuermina sighed while crouching down to hug her 'daughter'.

"Mamie, why can't you come with us? Don't you love me as much as Osric?" Leia whined.

"Leia, your. ..mother thinks it's best I stay here and I can't disobey her. You know I love all you children very much," Padmé exclaimed while swallowing her tears.

"I'll miss you. You're so pretty and nice!" Leia exclaimed as she broke her embrace with Yuermina to hug Padmé.

"Princess Leia, I'll be looking forward to hearing all about your adventures on Yavin Four! Take good care of your parents and baby brother and remember how I love you!" Padmé exclaimed as she virtually had to force herself to pry Leia's arms from her waist.

" We must be going!" Bail sighed.

"Osric, Mamie, you mind what Lady Tia says until our return. Farewell," Yuermina exclaimed as she led Prince Crolock while Bail led Princess Leia to the Royal Transport stationed in the courtyard by the Royal Palace Lake to take them to Yavin Four.

Padmé's heart sank as the transport took off and she openly burst into tears.

"Nursemaid Mamie, please pull yourself together. We have a very busy four days ahead of us starting tomorrow as we prepare Osric to greet the selected guests during Subject Lovedays," the tall and somewhat ungainly looking Lady Tia Organa pleaded.

"Sorry, Lady Tia. I just hope Leia- and Crolock will be okay during their first spaceflight," Padmé sighed.

"I'm sure my niece and nephew will be fine. It's smart they get used to space travel at an early age. You shouldn't be so overemotional,"Lady Tia sighed- though not unsympathetically.

"Sorry, I'm not at my best," Padmé sighed.

"Is it. .. _that_ time of the month?" Lady Tia asked.

Padmé was rather stunned- as she'd worked through all those times before without taking so much as a single day off since Luke and Leia's birth but she knew this could be an opportunity she'd never receive again.

"I'm sorry but . .. I guess it is," Padmé groaned.

"No apologies necessary. You just stay in your quarters and relax as long as you need until it passes,"Lady Tia insisted.

"But what about the Crown Prince and Subject Lovedays?"Padmé asked.

"Yuermina and Bail asked me to come here to help with my nephew so I'd have practice for a family of my own one day. I'll tend to him. You couldn't have joined us in the Reception Lines anyway since your rank isn't high enough," Lady Tia laughed.

"I suppose you're right. I'll do the best I can under the circumstances," Padmé sighed doing her best to contain herself- although she'd done that virtually every day since she'd arrived at Alderaan three and a half years earlier.

The next morning, she dressed Crown Prince Osric in his Reception Clothes and let Lady Tia take him to the Throne Room where the 5000 Guests would greet him, his aunt and other high Alderaan officials during the next four days.

"Are you certain you don't need a droid to tend you?" Lady Tia asked as she led Osric away.

"No, I think I'll be fine. There's enough food here and I have enough holographs to read and watch until I feel better," Padmé said as wanly as possible.

About an hour after Lady Tia left, Padmé heard the first group of Guests arrive. Since she'd been in Alderaan, Padmé had observed that every six standard months, the Royal Palace Grounds would be open to 5000 Guests- 4000 from Alderaan but 1000 outworlders who'd been randomly selected to be the Queen's Guests then carefully inspected for weaponry and espionage equipment by specially programmed droids would be given a guided tour of the Historic Route through the Royal Alderaan Palace. Padmé and most of the other servants weren't permitted to leave the back part of the palace while the four-day tours were transpiring but she'd often get close enough in the back walls to hear their excitement at seeing such classic architecture and majestic grandeur of 150 centuries on display. Of course, once the Lovedays were over, the Historic Route would be re-opened to the servants for them to immaculately clean to ready the halls and chambers for the next Loveday.

Padmé decided to sneak into one of the groups of Guests and follow them to their hovercraft transports DOWN the 3000 meter Aldera Rock Mountain then take a City Hovercraft to the Space Port but how to get out without being noticed even among these crowds.

Padmé was trying to find a panel that would lead to the Gift Shop (which doubled as the Commisery when Lovedays weren't in session) when she bumped into. ..

"Artoo? What are you doing here?"Padmé asked.

R2D2 squawked a bit.

"Well, I can see you're about to distribute holographic Palace brochures but it's been some time since Queen Yuermina sent you to Captain Antilles. ."Padmé sighed.

Artoo chirped a bit.

"So Threepio worked his way up from being a binary loadlifter programmer to being part of the Captain's staff- with some persuasion by you! Very smart, Artoo,"Padmé beamed.

Artoo sputtered.

"Yes, there is something you can do. You can unlock the panel to the Gift Shop then provide a distraction. ."Padmé explained.

Artoo asked in a few beeps that only Padmé had learned to understand.

"That's right, Artoo. I'm leaving! I can't stand not knowing whether Luke's safe!" Padmé boiled.

Artoo beeped solitiously.

"Risks? I know all about the risks but I'm not letting anything happen to my children. You know how docile banthas are? Well, the most dangerous animal in the galaxy is a bantha cow protecting bantha calves from danger- not even bantha rams are safe horns not withstanding! Don't count human mothers out either!" Padmé proclaimed.

Artoo sputtered a bit.

"Yes, I'll be as careful as possible. Keep watch over Leia and Threepio," Padmé pleaded.

Artoo sputtered his promise.

Now before you do anything to help me escape, there IS something I need you to do. No, it won't take very long. . " Padmé insisted.

In a few moments, Padmé (wearing once again her traveling boots, khaki slacks and matching shirt) had Artoo open a panel leading to the Royal Palace Gift Shop and joined the other Guests.

"The Crown Prince's a bit of a brat," sniffed one Mon Calamari society matron- a distant cousin to Admiral Ackbar.

"He's only six," Padmé sighed as she stepped into the tour group.

"Odd, I don't recall seeing you with the rest of us,"the Mon Calamari matron sniffed.

"I. .came with an earlier group and had to relieve myself but now I'm back," Padmé gulped.

They soon climbed into the hovercraft transport.

"Where's your Invitation?" asked the droid driver.

"It. .um. ." Padmé sputtered when.

"Magnetic discharge at Palace! Must clear grounds immediately!" the droid driver chirped.

Artoo knew that no droid wanted to get too close to magnetic disturbances and that would override whatever programming they had been given.

In another hour, the hovercraft finished its 3000 meter climb from the Aldera Rock and was at the Main Gate to be waved through- and for the first time in three and a half years, Padmé was away from the Palace!

As Padmé (AKA Mamie) was a servant and servants got paid, Yuermina had paid her a salary and Padmé had saved more than enough units to buy transport tickets to virtually anywhere in the galaxy. The Royal Nursemaid position's pay would have been enough to have paid for a small efficiency apartment only half a kilometer from the Palace Gate, food, a modest wardrobe along with a small hoverscooter. However, as Padmé's food, board and clothing had been provided by the Palace and she'd only spent small amounts in the Commisary to buy birthday presents for Leia and her 'brothers', Padmé had no worries about money at this time. This was virtually the only worry she did NOT have.

She made it to the Alderaan Space Port which was 30 kilometers from the Aldera Rock with no further incident an hour later via city hovercraft but at the space port, there was quite a flurry of activity which was quite exhilarating for Padmé after over three years of being cooped up in the Palace grounds.

"Thank you for flying Cosmos Spaceways. What is your destination?" the transparent ticketing droid asked.

"Dantooine," Padmé gulped- as she thought that's what Yoda said about his species origins.

"Next space transport for Dantooine leaves in another five standard hours and you will be required to change space cruisers at the Coruscant Galactic Space Port," the ticketing droid explained.

"How many changes if I avoid Coruscant?" Padmé asked- knowing she could NEVER go anywhere near the Imperial capital planet again.

"Three-and you will be arriving four days later than by the Coruscant connection," the droid droned.

"Very well. I see it's 4000. ." Padmé sighed as she took out some of the monies from her pocket.

"Cosmos Spaceways does NOT accept any units besides credit holograms. You can apply for a credit hologram at the Hologram Exchange in Level 24-B Subheading V," the ticketing droid droned.

"OK, but may I get reservations now?" Padmé asked.

"Reservations may be obtained- once you have presented your Imperial Galactic Hologram Passport," the droid droned.

"Imperial Galactic Hologram Passport?" Padmé gulped.

"Yes, If you go to Level 98-N Subheading F, you can apply for one and it's only 134 standard holographic pages of information you are required to fill out," the droid droned.

"Thanks anyway," Padmé sighed.

Oh, for the days when she had her Senatorial Passport but she knew she couldn't chance the formwork giving her away so she dejectedly left the Space Port and started walking back to Aldera City but noticed that there was a large number of warehouses on the edge of the Space Port complex that looked quite seedy- totally out of place in Alderaan.

Padmé saw a sign that said 'Pilots PitStop Bar' and decided that perhaps she could see about finding another way to leave Alderaan.

Padmé saw a very large and tall hairy two-legged beast walk in ahead of two teenaged boys.

"HEY! We don't serve your kind here!" Padmé heard the barkeep yell.

"What?" shouted the brown haired human teen with a scarred chin.

"Our scans indicate you two are only sixteen standard years old! You'll have to wait outside for your Wookiee friend!" the barkeep shouted.

"Any other ideas, Hotshot?" his bronze-complected human friend asked.

"Hey, don't look at me! You're the one who said we should stop by this place for that. .sightseeing tour," the brown haired teen scoffed.

"They told me they'd get us spots on the Palace Tour," the bronze-complected teen replied.

"What's so great about a building above the clouds anyway?" the brown haired teen asked.

"Excuse me, but what if I bring you two drinks from the bar?" Padmé asked.

"Well, well! Who do we have here?" the bronze-skinned teen asked as he started to take Padmé's hand

"Call me. ..Maddie," Padmé purred.

" Han Solo here and this is my friend Lando Calrissian! Got any friends for him?" Han asked as he quickly shook Padmé's hand before Lando could reach it.

"Not now but perhaps if you can take me to Dantooine, I could arrange something," Padmé purred.

Padmé hadn't needed her diplomatic skills to know what was on the teen boys' minds- as that was virtually universal amongst teen boys. Still, they were pilots and maybe she could get them to take her to where she needed to go. She just needed some insurance.

"Rrrh!" the wookiee growled as he left the bar and came to the rest of them.

"Poor thing, you've got a metal shard in your foot. I've got some tweezers to yank that out,"Padmé offered as she reached into her pocket.

"Chewie won't let you. ." Han sputtered.

"Purr, grr-ahn," Padmé whispered which caused Chewbacca to nod his head and hold his fur covered foot still.

"You speak Wookiee? How did you learn. ." Lando asked.

"You don't look like the type to crash on their planet like I did," Han scoffed.

"I didn't! There was a wonderful Wookiee restaurant and Laundromat on the bottom level of my Coruscant apartment building. Served the most delicious sautéed tree beetle grubs!" Padmé beamed as she quickly yanked out the metal shard from Chewbacca's foot then put some antiseptic on it.

While Padmé HAD been good friends with the Kashyyyk Senator, she also truthfully had eaten at that restaurant many times and learned the language- for there were restaurants representing virtually every species and planet in the galaxy on Corcuscant!

"And you said that had to be eaten raw," Han fumed to Chewbacca while making a disgusted face as Chewbacca led them away from the bar towards their ship's docking bay.


	5. Escape to What and With Whom?

"Escape to What and With Whom?

By Ennon

Disclaimers: Same as before

"Bail, Yuermina? What are you and the children doing back so soon?" asked 35-year-old Lady Tia Organa as the Alderaan Royal Family entered the Reception Hall where Lia Tia and 6-year-old Crown Prince Osric were greeting the guests.

"Leia forgot her bantha cub toy,"53-year-old Senator/Prince Consort Bail Organa sighed.

"I'm sorry, Papa, but I can't sleep without it?"the nearly 3-year-old Princess Leia Organa whined.

"Cutting short our archeological trip for that. The things we do for you!" 36-year-old Queen Yuermina groaned while shaking her head.

"She's not even three. Don't blame her," Tia sighed.

"You're right! Mamie should have packed it with everything else before we left. We'll have a word with her before we take over the Subject Loveday greetings," Bail proclaimed.

"Where's Mamie anyway?" Yuermina asked.

"She's been napping two days," Osric shrugged.

"Napping?" Yuermina asked.

"I noticed she was out of sorts and she confirmed it was 'that time of the month' for her so. ." Tia started to explain.

" She'd never taken any time off since she had. . um .broke her ankle around the time Leia was born! Why would she let something so mundane . ..?" Yuermina asked.

"I felt sorry for her and. . ."Tia sighed.

"C7, summon Nursemaid Mamie to the anteroom so I can find out why she didn't pack Leia's sleeping toy," Yuermina snapped- referring to a room apart from the main Reception Hall not visible to outsiders.

A few minutes later. . .

"Your Majesty, Your Highness, Lady Tia, we can find no trace of Nursemaid Mamie in her bedroom or anywhere in the Royal Palace Grounds,"C7FO droned upon re-entry.

"What!" Yuermina and Bail exclaimed.

"An analysis of the security holographs reveal no trace of her since early this morning," C7FO.

"I knew it was a mistake leaving you in charge! You're as stupid as you are clumsy!"Yuermina boiled.

"I'm sorry, Yuermina but we can always interview new nursemaids for the children," Lady Tia sobbed.

"Oh, it's not that simple,"Yuermina snapped.

"What do we do now?" Bail asked (in Royal Alderaan).

"I was hoping you could tell me. Why couldn't your sister have inherited your brains instead of your build?" Yuermina sighed(in Royal Alderaan).

"Forget her. We need to get Padmé back here before any Imperials get near. ." Bail groaned (in Royal Alderaan).

"What do you have in mind?" Yuermina asked(in Royal Alderaan).

"We could have the Aldera City Police do a citywide search and inspection of all spacecraft," Bail pondered(in Royal Alderaan).

"But how do we keep the Imperials from. ..?" Yuermina asked (in Royal Alderaan).

"I'll think of something," Bail pondered (in Royal Alderaan).

" So you wanna go to Dantooine,eh?" 16-year-old Han Solo laughed.

"Won't 3500 units cover it?" 29-year-old Padmé sighed.

"Yeah, but ya seem kinda antsy about things here. Alderaan's too dull for you?" Han laughed.

"That's it," Padmé gulped.

"How about we leave tomorrow morning? I never got a chance to look things over here," 16-year-old Lando Calrissian groaned.

"No, we must leave tonight," Padmé insisted as they and Chewbacca walked towards the docking bay.

Chewbacca opened the space dock doorway then roared to Padmé when they came within sight of the Millenium Falcom.

" Well, I can see this could use a woman's touch," Padmé gulped.

"Hey! We put a lot of work in it!" Han whined.

"Just kidding. If Chewbacca is proud of it then so will I be," Padmé sighed as she walked onto the loading ramp.

"Come on, we haven't seen the Royal Alderaan Palace yet!" Lando groaned while Chewbacca started warming up the Falcon for takeoff..

"Hey, we've got a passenger whose fee covers more than the fuel! I say we blow this planet," Han exclaimed.

"No way, buddy! It's MY ship and. .." Lando exclaimed.

"Your ship?" Han asked.

"I know you found it in the used lot but I paid for it with my Academy tuition units," Lando snapped.

"So that makes it your _dad's_ ship!" Han laughed.

Chewbacca laughed with Han.

"Laugh it up, scholarship boy! We both dropped out but at least I have a plan!" Lando snapped.

Chewbacca snarled at Lando.

"No, Chewie! I'm not dissing Han doing that for you. Do we have to hear the whole story again?" Lando groaned while Chewbacca repeated how Han rescued him from the slavers.

"That's a wonderful thing you did for him," Padmé beamed while kissing Han on the forehead.

"Hey, a little lower and. ." Han whined.

"Why did you have to spoil the moment?" Padmé sighed.

"I say it's my ship so we wait until tomorrow after I've seen the Palace to leave," Lando proclaimed.

"You sure about that? I can think of some good bars on Dantooine I'd like to spend those units on," Han pondered.

"Not happening. We're staying!" Lando insisted as he banged his boot onto the floor.

"You sure you don't wanna beat me? How about a game of sabaac. I win, I get the Falcon. You win, you get Chewie AND Maddie's units!" Han exclaimed.

"What!" Padmé yelled while Chewbacca threateningly growled in agreement.

"Don't worry, I've got a plan!"Han smirked.

"Last round and if I win this hand, I've won! You roll!" Lando exclaimed.

Han rolled the twenty-facetted dice then. ..KISSED Lando on the lips- causing Lando to drop his cards.

"What!"Lando asked- as he started to spit.

"Hey, you can't beat that hand!" Han laughed.

" No fair! You cheated!Damn!" Lando boiled.

"Hey, all's fair in love and sabaac! You know the rules!" Han smirked.

"Man, I'll get even with you if it's the last thing I do!" Lando exclaimed as he stormed out of the Millenium Falcon.

"Are you sure that was so smart?" Padmé asked.

"Don't worry, Maddie. He won't stay mad. He'll wheel and deal another ship in no time,"Han shrugged.

"Attention! All space cruisers are to be inspected for a missing personal affect of Her Majesty, Queen Yuermina's!" the spaceport announcer blared.

"Um, could we just take off?" Padmé asked.

"Not before the inspection," Han exclaimed- as Chewbacca yelped in agreement with Padmé.

"What?" Padmé asked

"Yeah, you want us to get arrested and/or blasted out of the sky?"Han added.

"I just don't want to stick around and. .." Padmé gulped.

"You _couldn't_ have taken anything. No bulges in your slack pockets," Han laughed a bit leeringly while raising his eyebrows.

Chewbacca growled a bit.

"Secret compartments under the floor?" Padmé asked.

"Chewie, I don't think our passenger. . ." Han sighed.

"I don't care how cramped it is! I'd rather be there than be found," Padmé exploded.

Chewbacca roared in agreement.

"Alright already!" Han gulped as he lifted the floor and helped Padmé climb below just moments before they were boarded.

"Destination is Corellia? Okay, we'll let you go," the Aldera police officer proclaimed after he and his collegue marched up and down the Falcon's halls finding no trace of Padmé.

"Hmm, I know our passenger's hot but I didn't expect her to be that hot!" Han gulped to Chewbacca after the Aldera City police left.

Chewbacca pulled up the flooring and growled a bit.

"Yes, Chewbacca, I'm okay! Can we take off now?" Padmé asked.

"Yeah, tell me why do you wanna amscray Alderaan so bad?" Han asked.

"Let's just say there's something I need to find out for myself," Padmé sighed.

"Great you're leveling with us," Han sarcastically replied as they took off and soon were out of Alderaan's upper atmosphere.

Padmé looked out the window as the planet disappeared from view shortly afterwards and sadly blew a kiss downwards. As much as she was anxious to leave the restrictions of Alderaan Palace life and find out what had become of Luke, she was sad to have to leave Leia behind for the time.

At that very moment in the Royal Alderaan Palace Throne Room, Leia looked towards the window and blew a kiss upwards towards the empty sky but, thankfully, no one noticed her doing so or thought to ask her why- for she wouldn't have been able to explain it.

"I know it ain't much to a nurse like you but Dantooine has some of the best bars and party spots in the galaxy and. .." Han laughed.

"You're sure you won't get zapped for being underage like in Alderaan?" Padmé asked.

"Just need to short circuit those Age Droids," Han smirked.

"No need to rush things! You're only a teen very briefly but you could be old for a long time,"Padmé sighed.

"You know! It won't be too long before I get to my _manly_ prime and you're getting close to your womanly one so. ." Han said leeringly.

"I'm much too old for you. Besides, I'm spoken for," Padmé proclaimed.

"Oh, I get it now! Runaway bride thing. Don't worry. There ain't nothing your old man could do to me that I couldn't handle," Han laughed.

"You couldn't even begin to imagine how **WRONG **you are," Padmé groaned.

Chewbacca laughed a bit.

"Yeah, right. It won't be too much longer before we get to Dantooine . Til then, think I'll get some rest. Chewie stay at the controls," Han shrugged while Chewbacca gruffly growled.

Soon Han was in his bunk bed getting some rest.

Chewbacca started talking to Padmé about different things.

"No, I don't hate Han but even if I were available, he has a great deal of growing up to do," Padmé sighed while Chewbacca growled in agreement then barked a question.

"No, I'm not offended. It's understandable you'd be curious. I'm NOT meeting my lover on Dantooine. I'm trying to find out about someone I DO love, though," Padmé sighed.

Chewbacca mournfully growled.

"You have family in Kashyyyk you haven't seen in a while? That's sad. I'm sure they're okay," Padmé proclaimed.

Chewbacca roared a bit.

"I guess it's okay if I tell you who I'm looking for. A Jedi Master named Yoda. You've probably never heard of. .." Padmé started to say.

Chewbacca made noises of protest and got quite insulted.

"You have? I'm sorry. I should have known there's a lot more to you than having been a slave and ship's first mate!" Padmé apologized.

Chewbacca barked a bit of explanation.

"Degobah? Never heard of that place- and let's just say I used to be in the business where I SHOULD have heard of just about everywhere in the Galaxy,"Padmé beamed.

Chewbacca growled a bit more.

"Are you sure about this? From what you're saying, it's over 10 thousand light years in the opposite direction from Dantoine. No wonder the Empire can't find him!" Padmé gulped.

Chewbacca barked then laughed.

"Yes, it's likely Han will be upset but he'll get over it like he'll forget about me before too long," Padmé wryly shrugged.

In a few hours, Han awoke from his nap and started to walk over towards the cockpit.

"Oh, Ani. How I miss you!" Padmé sighed as she was half asleep.

"Annie! You're into. . ?" Han said a bit puzzled.

"No, it's actually short for. . .never mind," Padmé groaned-as she re-awoke.

" I mean, not that there's anything wrong with it but I wouldn't have expected such a hot supernova like you to. ." Han gulped.

"Good to see you're rested up!" Padmé replied.

"Yeah, but what the. .Chewie! We're nowhere near Dantooine according to these co-ordinates!" Han boiled.

Chewbacca growled.

"Oh, she did,eh? How soon you forget!" Han sneered.

Chewbacca snarled and blocked Han from the controls.

"Yeah, she pulled the metal shard from your foot but I freed you from . ." Han boiled.

"Look out!"Padmé pleaded as they came out of hyperspace just moments before the Millenium Falcon was ready to ignite from the friction of Degobah's atmosphere.

"We've come in at too steep an angle! Chewie, angle us a little shallower," Han shouted while Chewbacca did so.

"You'd better throw on the atmospheric brakes now!" Padmé pleaded while Chewbacca did so

"What the Hell do you think you're doing!" Han asked.

"I've piloted enough to keep us from crashing,"Padmé explained.

"Come on, Chewie! Pull us out of here!" Han ordered.

"We're too far away from any inhabited star systems to not replenish the oxygen supply here,"Padmé pleaded.

"There's not a clearing big enough to land a probe droid in this swamp!" Han boiled.

Chewbacca steered the Millenium Falcon to a spot less densely covered with trees than the others then carefully set the Millenium Falcon atop four sets of sturdy branches- 100 meters above the surface of the trackless, perpetually foggy swamp.

"What is this place!" Padmé and Han asked Chewbacca at the very same time.

Chewbacca growled an explanation.

"A Jedi Master lives here! Even they couldn't be that clueless," sneered Han.

"What do you have against Jedis?" Padmé asked.

"Who'd want that Spartan celibate deal?" Han sneered.

"Not _all_ were celibate," Padmé sighed.

"How would you. ..?" Han asked.

"Never mind,"Padmé snapped.

"Great going, Chewie! We're stuck at the top of this forest with no way down. How are we going to get the Falcon out of here?" Han whined.

Chewbacca growled a bit.

"When you've taken Maddie to her destination, then you'll get the ship out? How are you going to get Maddie down from. .?" Han asked.

Chewbacca snarled some.

"On your back? She doesn't look like she'd like. ." Han scoffed.

"It will do. Open the top hatch and we'll make our way down," Padmé sighed as she jumped onto Chewie's awaiting back.

"You expect me to just wait here and do repairs or something?" Han asked.

Chewbacca barked in the affirmative then laughed while he climbed up the hatch with his hands and feet.

" I cheated Lando fair and square to win this ship and I wind up here? Great,"snapped Han as he heard Chewbacca make a Tarzan yell and saw him and 'Maddie' disappear into the lower tree limbs.

A/N-

I hope you all aren't too put out by these new acquaintances of Padmé's!

cm1000- Yeah, it's not been easy for Padmé to have to raise Leia among another family and be clueless about Luke but things may be changing soon.

Doreen- Glad you think this story's 'pretty good' and I'm doing my best to continue.

Toni- Yeah, I prefer that ROTJ version of Padmé's fate to the ROTS one but I think it could still be tweaked just a bit without losing the story's essence. True about Yuermina's treatment and, ironically, it's likely spurring Padmé on her quest!

"


	6. Data From Dagobah

'Data From Dagobah' (Chapter Six)

By Ennon

A/N- Sorry for misspelling the planet's name before but I've corrected it here.

Padmé buried her face between Chewbacca's furry shoulders as he swung, climbed and made quite a few impressive leaps over dizzying gaps in the trees above the Dagobah swamps. As she hugged his chest with her arms and his upper legs with her own legs, she was amazed at how sturdily he carried her and how strong he was.

"We seem to have gone quite a few kilometers from the where the Falcon's perched. How much further?" Padmé asked.

Chewbacca barked a bit eagerly.

"But I don't see anything but a beaver mound by that tree base and. ." Padmé protested as she looked through the scanner binoculars.

Chewbacca nodded a bit.

"Oh, that's where Master Yoda now lives," Padmé gulped seeing Yoda's tiny mud hut for the first time.

Chewbacca barked affirmatively.

"I think we'd both better go down there but you go first. You last saw him on better terms than me," Padmé sighed.

In a few minutes, Chewie had climbed down 200 meters, then about 10 meters above the hut's tiny clearing, he grabbed a large branch, stretched out his large body then jumped to the ground.

"Amazing! I hardly felt even the slightest jar! You sure have sturdy ankles!"Padmé exclaimed as she hugged Chewbacca.

Chewbacca proudly roared.

"Sh-sh! I think we need to be quiet now," Padmé cautioned- with quite a few mixed and strong emotions at seeing Yoda for the first time in almost three years.

"Or else what!" Yoda snapped from behind her.

"Master Yoda!" Padmé gulped.

Chewbacca barked a bit apologetically.

"No, old friend, good is to see you!" Yoda exclaimed to Chewie.

"Hello .. um. ..where . ..?" Padmé started to say- not quite certain how much she wanted to say in front of Chewbacca.

"Yes, old friend is small my home but outside can we recall old times," Yoda proclaimed- as Padmé immediately ran towards the hut and desperately looked inside for a sign of . .. LUKE.

"Master Yoda, I must know. .." Padmé started to ask as she put a small yoyo inside her right palm.

"By what name are you?" Yoda asked.

"It's. .. Maddie Padmala," Padmé gulped- as Yoda looked at her quite intensely and she could see HE knew not to say too much in front of Chewie.

"Famished you look. Old friend, slay a vecto bird for us to dine on could you?" Yoda asked.

Chewbacca barked a bit puzzled.

"Too slow and without a crossbow I am but our guest would find it better than my usual meal,"Yoda explained.

Chewbacca nodded barked, then leaped back into the trees.

"It's not that I don't trust him," Padmé sighed.

"No harm do you want him to come for who you are," Yoda sighed.

"You understand. Luke's been here! Where is he now?" Padmé asked as she brandished the small yoyo.

"Took him here, I did after he was born but quickly he outgrew my home," Yoda half-laughed.

"You used to live in splendor in the Coruscant Jedi Temple," Padmé recalled.

"Splendor, vastness, I valued not. Too soft and vulnerable it made me," Yoda sighed.

"And how vulnerable are you to . . Vader?" Padmé shuddered.

"Too small a spot for him to look," Yoda snapped.

"Master Yoda, is Darth Vader Anakin Skywalker?" Padmé asked.

"Find root herbs for vecto meat, we must," Yoda shrugged as he walked away from his hut started digging into the oozing mud for small roots.

"Master Yoda, I must know. Anakin survived and is now Darth Vader, isn't he?" Padmé groaned.

"Vader he is. Counted not on the Emperor carbo-freezing him at the last moment of his life, I did. Then, at the moment your daughter was born, Anakin I felt be revived and put into that shell called Vader," Yoda groaned.

"So with his own life being revived in such distress, that's why neither he nor the Emperor could sense the twins' births at the same time," Padmé beamed as she started digging with Yoda.

"Well served are you by your insight. The Force was too strong and uncontrolled around Vader and your twins for any of you three or the Emperor to focus, I see now," Yoda explained.

"I shudder to think of what it must have been like for Anakin losing his limbs then getting frozen then encased like that," Padmé groaned while shaking her head.

"Some things, it's better the Force not show us," Yoda nodded in agreement.

A/N- But why should the readers be deprived of seeing a version of how this might have happened so without further ado, I'm interrupting the flow of the story to show my version of how Anakin became Vader.

"It's been six months and everyone considers him dead. The time is right for us to release Lord Vader from carbonite and put him in his suit as we unleashed Darth Maul before him," Palpatine declared- as he got the controls and caused Anakin to be revived and then with a group of medical droids, put Anakin in his carefully designed armor.

"Why can't I see?" Vader asked.

"You're suffering hypernation sickness but your eyesight will return in time," Palpatine replied.

"Why is my voice so much lower than before and why am I breathing this way?" Vader asked.

"The lava destroyed too much of your natural vocal chords and lungs for you to speak and breathe on your own. Arise, Lord Vader!" Palpatine commanded.

Vader/Anakin took a few steps then grabbed a medical droid's pulse monitor in his right gloved hand- crushing it like tin foil.

"I feel. . STRONGER than I've ever felt before!" Vader proclaimed.

"The armor has been designed so that you can carry on my work for over a thousand standard years with only a minimum of replacements and maintance,"Palpatine explained.

"How will I eat and . ."Vader asked.

"You no longer will have any need for conventional foods. Energy packs will maintain your armor with nutrients added for what's left of your human body- and the waste will only need removal once a standard month," Palpatine shrugged

A/N- Come on. Haven't you ever wondered how and if Vader used the bathroom?

"What of Padmé and our. .." Vader asked.

"They're dead. You killed them because she proved to be unsupportive," Palpatine explained.

"What!" Vader asked.

"It was for the best. She wouldn't have had you in this condition nor COULD she have- and you have no worries of heirs trying to overthrow our plans," Palpatine shrugged.

"You mean, I can no longer. . .?" Vader asked.

"The suit will give you a NEW kind of virility! You just observed that you've never felt stronger than before. You have no ties of any kind save to me- as far as the Galaxy is concerned," Palpatine smirked.

"So be it! Serving you will be my new freedom," Vader proclaimed.

"Everything's worked according to plan," Palpatine beamed then chortled.

A/N- We now return to our regularly scheduled POV. . .

"So Luke is no longer here? I know he's alive!" Padmé proclaimed.

"Yes, my lady. In you, the Force is strong in terms of instinct rather than control, that's why your children with Anakin will prove to be the Emperor's downfall!" Yoda explained.

"But where's my son? I must see for myself that he's alive- and happy!" Padmé sobbed.

"Promise you must to not reveal his lineage-or his fate I can't reveal while the Emperor rules,"Yoda cautioned.

"I can't tell him I'm his mother!"Padmé gasped.

"No, or with you he'd leave his home and both of you would be doomed to serve or be killed by the Emperor,"Yoda proclaimed.

"I promise you, I'm willing to give up my very life to protect my children from that fate,"Padmé proclaimed with resolution.

Yoda took her hand in both his tiny green ones ,breathed deeply in a near-trance and said nothing for what seemed to be the longest time.

"Your willingness to keep my old friend from Kashyyyk safe proves you have what's needed to keep your twins on the right course even at your own expense. Very well, two years past, Obi-Wan took your son for his upbringing near his family," Yoda explained.

"Tantooine!" Padmé gulped.

"Sh-sh! Nearby, I hear the trees bend from the weight of my old friend from Kashyyyk. Soon, we will eat," Yoda proclaimed as he put his right hand to Padmé's lips who knew Chewbacca was due to return momentarily.

Chewbacca roared outside with a large vecto bird carcass across his shoulders.

"Chewie, I've got all the roots we need so this should be quite the feast," Padmé beamed.

Chewbacca growled in concern.

"Han? I guess you could bring him down here to join us and. ." Padmé pondered.

"No! The fewer who know my home, the better for all. Bring him the remains!" Yoda proclaimed.

After Chewbacca unsuccessfully begged Yoda to reconsider, the three soon roasted the 2-meter wide wingspan vecto bird over an open fire and consumed it with the roots and soup Yoda had been cooking while having a rousing conversation over the haunts Chewbacca and Yoda had visited together over 100 years before. Chewbacca ate most of it but Padmé and Yoda were satisfied with their portions. Just before nightfall, with a half a breast and a whole roasted drumstrick packed in a contrived backpack on Chewbacca's back, Chewie and Padmé took leave of Yoda's hut (that Chewie had only seen the interior of from a window outside) and made their way back to the Millenium Falcon some hours later.

"Where have you two been?" Han asked.

"Chewbacca got hungry," Padmé explained as she and Chewie climbed down the roof hatch.

"I've been here all by myself regenerating the oxygen supplies for hours. Find what you're looking for?" Han asked.

"Not here," Padmé sighed.

Chewbacca eagerly barked about the vecto bird he'd brought Han.

"Oh, yeah, just what I always wanted," Han sneered.

Chewbacca snapped angrily at Han.

"OK, pal! It looks very good. Where did you cook it and where did you get the backpack?" Han asked as he started started to eat the vespo bird drumstick

"Shouldn't we be trying to get out of here- after you wipe your greasy hands?" Padmé asked as she handed Han a towel just before he grabbed the Falcon's controls.

" It's too shaky for me to fire the engines. We'll be shaken from the trees," Han groaned.

Chewbacca eagerly grunted.

"Swamp gas anti-gravity bubbles? That's one of the dumbest. ." Han laughed.

" There's no shortage of those down there and it shouldn't be too long before one comes along to lift the ship off the trees. Then you could fire the engines," Padmé explained.

"I may be young but I wasn't born yesterday. What's next? Gigantic ship eating space worms in asteroid caves?" Han laughed.

Suddenly the ship lurched upward for about half a meter then suddenly dropped back down.

"What the. .!" Han asked.

"With the sunset, the swamp gas is at its peak! Now's the time!" Padmé proclaimed.

Chewbacca growled in agreement.

"OK, I guess it's worth a shot. How long until the next- ?" Han asked right before the Falcon got lifted even higher but more slowly than before.

"Now!" Padmé gulped.

"Chewie! Let's get her out of here!" Han proclaimed as the Falcon was suspended two meters in midair above the branches.

Chewbacca fired the engines at once and the Falcon started to ascend and as they were taking off, Padmé and Chewbacca looked out the window and gave a thumbs-up sign.

"Yeah, we're moving up alright! Told ya, I'd get us out of this!" Han proclaimed as they took off.

Directly on the ground 100 meters below was Yoda who waved to Padmé and Chewbacca as the Falcon took off- knowing that Han was clueless to his existence and his contribution to the Falcon's ascent.

" I think we'll go to. .." Han proclaimed.

"Tantooine! That's where we need to go!" Padmé proclaimed- as she felt the tiny toy yoyo she knew Luke had played with as a baby in her pocket.

Chewbacca growled in protest.

"Well, well! That's more MY kinda place!" Han smirked.

Chewbacca sputtered a growl.

"Chewie, I know it's Outer Rim but if we make the right connections there, we could write our own tickets!" Han smirked.

Chewbacca growled a plea to Padmé.

"Chewie, I agree with what you're saying about it. I don't want to go there either but I MUST," Padmé gulped as she clutched the hidden yoyo.

A/N- Doreen- Glad you're totally lovin' this story and hope this chapter's at least as good for you as the last two!


	7. Taunted by Tatooine

'Taunted by Tatooine' (Chapter Seven)

By Ennon

"They didn't even try to signal us for ID when we reached the atmosphere! Told ya this was where we could make our fortune, Chewie!" 16-year-old Han Solo smirked as he brought the Millenium Falcon into an empty landing bay at Mos Eisley in Tatooine.

Chewie groaned a bit apprehensively.

"I think you should listen to him. This planet could eat you alive," 29-year-old Padmé sighed.

"Yeah, but you're. .. " Han laughed.

" Only because it has the answers I need not because I want to. . " Padmé snapped.

Chewie barked concernedly as he finished setting the Falcon on solid pavement of the landing bay.

"Chewbacca, don't worry about me. I'll make it. I just need to pick up a few things in the marketplace before I make my journey," Padmé gulped.

"Chewie, no use in getting all puppy on her- if she ain't sticking around for me," Han scoffed.

Chewbacca protested a bit strongly.

"Alright, we'll go with her to the marketplace. We could use some new ammo before we look for work," Han shrugged.

The three were in the marketplace and Padmé made a beeline to a group of tents on the adjacent street to the landing bay where she knew clothing was sold.

Chewbacca picked up a few new rounds for his blaster.

"Yeah, those'll do," Han shrugged.

"This helmet features its own Freon irrigation cooling to protect the brain from sunstroke," enthused a female green-skinned Twi'lek merchant named Nala.

"That should do. Does it come with a veil?" asked Padmé

"It can. Here's a white silk one s that would go well with your jumpsuit," Nala insisted- as Padmé tried on the veiled helmet that covered her face but had a thin enough mesh to have unobstructed sight with her goggles.

"Why ya interested in veils? Don't wanna get pruney by the scorching sun?" Han asked.

"Let's just say that there are a few folks here I have my reasons for not encountering again," Padmé explained as she tried on the helmet with the veil.

"Master, here's that pilot I told you about," exclaimed the Twi'lek named Bib Fortuna (in Huttese) as he drove past in a miniature hover sailbarge that he was chauffering.

"Never seen anyone land a ship so smoothly at that age. What's your name, boy?" Jabba the Hutt demanded (in Huttese).

Chewbacca defensively wrapped Han in his huge arms and shoved Padmé behind him just in time for Jabba and Bib Fortuna to miss seeing while distrustfully snarled at Jabba and his assistant.

"Chewie, let go!" Han gritted with his teeth while Padmé

"Having trouble with your Wookiee? I could pay you good money, take him off your hands and teach him respect," Jabba gloated (in Huttese).

"No, he's the best co-pilot I could ask for. He just jumps the gun trying to keep me outta trouble," Han laughed.

" How much experience do you have in flying spice from Kessel?" Jabba asked (in Huttese).

" I've outflown Imperial slugs a few times," Han smirked.

"Good. I think we could make a deal that would benefit both of us. You and your Wookiee stop by my Mos Eisley townhouse in an hour and Bib Fortuna will have the details worked out. Don't fail me as others have," Jabba menaced with a wagging finger(in Huttese).

Both Chewbacca and Padmé breathed deep sighs of relief as Jabba and Bib Fortuna resumed their drive and Chewie released Han from his protective grip.

"Han, you and Chewie get back in your ship immediately, take off and forget about this planet," Padmé hoarsely whispered.

Chewbacca growled concernedly.

"And miss our deal of a lifetime?" Han scoffed.

Chewbacca barked agitatedly.

"Chewie, your gut feeling's absolutely right about that Jabba!" Padmé warned.

"What are you talking about?"Han asked.

"He had slaves even when slavery was outlawed by the Republic and organized small boys in pod races for sport and cruelly gloated when they crashed to death. What makes you think he's above. . .?" Padmé pleaded.

"So! You do like me,Maddie. Can't say I ain't surprised or flattered but. ." Han smirked with raised eyebrows.

"Forget about that and just get out of. .. " Padmé begged.

Chewbacca barked pleadingly.

"Chewie, don't you get all soft and cowardly on me just cos some babe tells tales," Han snarled.

Chewbacca growled angrily.

"Don't you **ever** all Chewbacca a coward! He's risked more for me than either of you could possibly imagine," Padmé boiled as she hugged Chewbacca.

Chewbacca almost purred.

"Gloat it up, Fuzzball! You know what you promised," Han seethed.

Chewbacca moaned a bit.

"It's okay, Chewbacca. I know you've pledged to protect Han above all else- even from himself," Padmé sighed as she patted Chewie's back and he barked a bit.

"She just said she's got her own stuff here. Let her deal with it on her own. Fortune's knocking and we ain't gonna pass it up," Han sneered and started walking away.

"Chewbacca, I'll never forget all you've done for me and mine. I doubt a more sincere heart and wiser brain ever existed. Take care, friend!" Padmé pleaded as she and Chewbacca hugged one last time before Chewbacca sadly forced himself to break their embrace and sullenly catch up with Han.

"Come on, you furry oaf! We're not keeping Jabba waiting," Han scoffed.

Padmé sadly shook her head.

"Hey, good luck with whatever you've got to do. Don't worry about me. I'll take care of myself," Han sighed as he momentarily stopped his tracks.

"I know you will. That's what you're good at. I just hope you find someone to care about so you can have a fuller life," Padmé sighed as she walked off in the opposite direction.

Chewbacca barked one last time when Padmé turned the corner and left their view then sullenly followed Han to Jabba's townhouse.

Obi-Wan was carefully levitating his switched on lightsaber above his head and making it carefully orbit when he heard a hoverspeeder outside slow down then park and got distracted.

ObiWan ran to the window then ducked behind with his lightsaber in hand to see who could be seeking him out so far out in the Jundian Wastes.

"Padmé?" Obi-Wan gulped incredulously- as he peered outside the open window.

"Yes, Obi-Wan or should I say 'Ben'," Padmé half-laughed as she took off her veiled helmet and shook her long brown hair loosely over her shoulders.

"I can't believe you found me. How . ..?" Obi-Wan asked as he came outside.

"Anakin told me of how Tatooine's water is so precious that everyone- save for Jawas and Sand People, uses pressurized vapor wands to keep clean and how clothes are washed in huge batches in vapor to save water," Padmé explained.

"You mean. ..?" Obi-Wan gulped.

"That's right! I got your co-ordinates from the Toshi Station Laundromat- and Tatooine doesn't have that many Kenobis so I knew you had to be 'Ben'!" Padmé laughed.

"Come inside, it's not safe to be standing stationary and alone with all the Sand People," Obi-Wan pleaded.

Padmé followed him inside and looked around for signs of Luke but could find none.

"Not a bad place you've made for yourself," Padmé exclaimed.

"You look as beautiful as ever, Padmé," Obi-Wan replied.

"I thought Jedis weren't supposed to think of. .." Padmé snapped.

"Can we cut the chit-chat? Why did you leave Alderaan and how did you find. . .?" Obi-Wan asked as they sat down.

" I haven't had news of Luke in nearly three years! I MUST see for myself he's healthy and happy,"Padmé boiled.

"Didn't Yuermina and Bail invite you into their palace and accept Leia as their own. You had luxury and protection for your lifetime. What more could you have wanted?" Obi-Wan scoffed.

"My freedom!" Padmé exclaimed.

"Freedom. None of us have that these days," Obi-Wan sighed.

"I've noticed how things have become more restricted for everyone since I left their Palace," Padmé sighed.

"In such a short time, the days of the Republic and the Jedi fraternity seem like another lifetime," Obi-Wan sighed.

"I know what you mean but I can't live my life unless I know my son is healthy and happy!" Padmé exclaimed.

"You want to undo all the hard work that Yoda and I decided. .?" Obi-Wan asked.

"You decided! Yoda decided! Yuermina and Bail decided but guess who never got to decide anything about Luke!" Padmé boiled.

"I agree that is most unfortunate," Obi-Wan groaned.

"Unfortunate! You want to know the word I was thinking?" Padmé fumed.

" I didn't think someone like you would have learned that particular term," Obi-Wan sighed as he winced- reading the word Padmé avoided verbalizing.

"Master Yoda told me you brought Luke here to be near his family. Tell me. ." Padmé started to say.

"His family. There's more to his family than even I or Anakin knew that you need to be aware of. Join me in talking to an old friend," Obi-Wan pleaded.

"I've come this far knowing next to nothing. Extra knowledge before I see Luke can only help," Padmé reasoned.

"You and I need to hold hands for this to work," Obi-Wan pleaded as he took Padmé's soft white hands in his already calloused and rough ones.

"Is this a séance?" Padmé asked.

"Of sort. I can ask an old friend to appear but for you to see him, you need both our Fields of Force," Obi-Wan explained.

Padmé was a bit puzzled but was too curious to protest.

"Obi-Wan, my Student and Friend, you've brought the guest I've been seeking. . ."a voice was heard to say.

"Qui-Gonn!" Padmé gulped.

"You recognize my voice after all these years," Qui-Gonn exclaimed as he became visible to both Obi-Wan and Padmé.

"Oh, how I'm glad death spared you from seeing how badly things turned out with. .. " Padmé deeply groaned.

"Your Majesty, I know of what you speak," Qui-Gonn sighed.

"I haven't been a queen in years and no one's called me that since. ." Padmé gulped.

"I know but you'll always be in your own right. What's happened to Anakin greatly troubles me and I don't want to see it repeated in Luke," Qui-Gonn exclaimed.

"Luke? You know of our son?" Padmé asked.

"Yes, why wouldn't I keep track of my grandson?" Qui-Gonn half-laughed while Obi-Wan wryly nodded.

"Qui-Gonn, my father was Lorcan Naberrie and Anakin had no. .. you!" Padmé gulped.

" I assure you that you weren't as shocked to find out as _I_ was," Qui-Gonn exclaimed.

"But the Jedi were expected to be celibate.You and dear Shmi both were too honest to have lied about such a thing," Padmé gasped.

"I didn't know until after I left the realm of the living when so many secrets were revealed to me,"Qui-Gonn proclaimed.

"You mean, that you and Shmi conceived Anakin without knowing it? How!" Padmé gulped- who eagerly remembered every single time she and Anakin had been intimate.

"Midchlorians put the three of us into deep trances. ."Qui-Gonn started to explain.

"Three?"! Padmé asked.

"Myself, Shmi and. .. Obi-Wan. I was put in a deep trance for over a week and felt compelled to fly to Tatooine and seek out a woman. Obi-Wan was entirely knocked unconscious during that time," Qui-Gonn continued to explain.

"And I could not recall having even been unconscious," Obi-Wan gulped.

" So you . _.raped_ poor Shmi in that state!" Padmé shuddered- barely able to keep herself from pulling away from either Obi-Wan or Qui-Gonn.

"No. I cannot lie in my present condition. What happened was that I passed by many women on the way to Shmi who was in Watto's workshop. I saw her and suddenly, she,too, went into a trance. Because I had denied myself physical intimacy with anyone for my entire life of 50 years and she had done the same but we had both fought the urges in our conscious states, the trances removed those barriers from each of us and we became intimate for the next hour," Qui-Gonn recalled.

"And you conceived Anakin that way?" Padmé gulped.

" I wish I could say otherwise but, yes. As soon as the deed was done, I walked out of the workshop storeroom and made my way back to my space ship and piloted back to the other side of the Galaxy where both Obi-Wan's and my trances ended. Neither of us could ever recall what happened during that week until I went to my present condition,"Qui-Gonn explained.

"But WHY would midchlorians have you and Shmi end your virginities to conceive Anakin? I didn't think they were actually sentient beings," Padmé asked.

"They aren't exactly but they were manipulated by one who wanted someone to take advantage of a child born of two Force-strong individuals," Obi-Wan explained.

"But Shmi was no more a Jedi than I am!" Padmé gulped.

"Like you, she was a Force carrier! She DID have an ancestor who was a most powerful Jedi- one RuebDoi Skywalker," Qui-Gonn explained.

"But she was a slave and Jedi offspring are almost unheard of besides my twins," Padmé gasped.

"RuebDoi was indeed a Jedi who was one of the first human settlers of Tatooine over 1000 years before . He tried to stop the takeover of Sand People's and Jawa's land and water sources using the Force but his neighbors disliked his interference enough to appeal to Sith members of the Jedi Council to persuade the other Jedi to de-Robe him. Afterwards, he was no longer considered a Jedi and ostracized by other Tatooine settlers- yet he did marry and sire progeny. These progeny were held in contempt by their neighbors and eventually enslaved with no knowledge of their glorious past," Qui-Gonn explained.

"So much more than has met the eye all this time," Padmé sighed.

" I hope these explanations weren't too long winded,"Qui-Gonn sighed.

"No, they explain a great deal but do you have any idea who might have manipulated the midchlorians to prompt you and Shmi to conceive Anakin?" Padmé asked.

Padmé, Obi-Wan and Qui-Gonn all looked at each other and said together, "Palpatine,"

" But why would he go to all that trouble when he could have. .?" Padmé asked.

"That's the thing. He couldn't! No one's ever heard of him so much as flirting with anyone. He's asexual and unable to procreate but he wanted someone to train in the Sith ways and who better than someone with the strongest Force lineage known?" Qui-Gonn asked.

"I wish we'd known all that before you left this dimension," Obi-Wan groaned.

"He's your son and you see so much more. Could you tell me if Anakin has any good left in him- in spite of being conceived for evil. .?" Padmé gulped.

"He's too much Palpatine's slave now in body and soul to want to resist or even hear any pleas from his ghostly parents- and only someone with power to match his could possibly turn him back," Qui-Gonn groaned.

"Luke?" Padmé groaned.

"Only with Anakin as Vader is Palpatine able to keep control of the Galaxy and only with Luke is there a chance to regain freedom and democracy," Qui-Gonn insisted.

"Now you understand why you can't interfere with. .?" Obi-Wan asked.

"He's just a tiny child and he no more asked for that burden any more than Anakin asked to be conceived or be brought up a slave in this wasteland,"Padmé pleaded.

"We can't argue that but he must gain enough strength to understand his importance before he decides to take up that burden- and if he's told who and what his father is prematurely, it could prove too much," Obi-Wan decreed.

"I won't do anything that could harm him and you know I'll do everything I need to protect Luke-and Leia from harm even if it means sacrificing my own life. ..!" Padmé insisted.

". .. and even if it means you may never reveal to either of them who you are or see either of them again while the Empire remains?" Qui-Gonn asked.

Padmé took a very deep breath and felt a great wave of sadness envelop her. . but then a strong resolve came to her.

"Yes, I'm willing to do that. Anakin may have been conceived for evil purposes but he was conceived by two good people and I want to ensure his heirs live lives that will make you and Shmi proud. I can take comfort in that even if I can't ever be happy for myself,"Padmé proclaimed.

"I wish I could communicate with you further but I can't without a knowledgeable Jedi's help and this has taken a good part of both our strengths to have made this happen for you. May the Force be with you on your quest to make my grandchildren's lives as best you can possibly make them,"Qui-Gonn consoled as he faded from both Padmé's and Obi-Wan's views.

"Are you alright?" Padmé asked Obi-Wan as he took a deep breath.

"It was good to be with my Teacher again but I can't help but feel apprehensive at telling you Luke's whereabouts- even with Qui-Gonn's blessing," Obi-Wan sighed.

"I've been readying myself since he was torn from me," Padmé pleaded as she grasped Obi-Wan's hand again.

"I decided that since my personal training ultimately made Anakin more impatient that perhaps I should adopt a more peripheral role with his son- and since Anakin was ashamed of having been born a slave, I decided that if his son would be less ashamed at being raised by a farmer who wanted him but I didn't count on this farmer being too stubborn to want me around afterwards," Obi-Wan sighed.

"You mean, you're having Owen and Beru Lars raise Luke?" Padmé gulped.

" Not pampering like the Organas but they're family and. . " Obi-Wan explained.

"And they live on the very same moisture farm Anakin's mother is buried on. How can you be sure Darth Vader won't want to visit his mother's . ..?" Padmé asked.

"You never heard of hiding something in the most obvious spot? Besides, I'm close enough to sense Vader getting closer to Luke and reaching Luke before he does," Obi-Wan exclaimed.

"Oh, I'm sure the Empire and bounty hunters won't ever think to seek out his stepuncle's farm," Padmé sarcastically sneered.

" The Empire has no knowledge that Vader has a son- much less one by the name of Skywalker," Obi-Wan insisted.

"Skywalker! If Anakin ever gets sentimental about Shmi's gravesite, it will be on YOUR head," Padmé fumed.

"Calm down," Obi-Wan pleaded.

"I don't want to disrupt things. I just want Luke safe and happy," Padmé pleaded.

In another hour, Padmé had driven her used hoverspeeder to the Lars Farm and could see all manner of toys and even a sawhorse that had been turned into a toy bantha in the sunken courtyard of the Lars Homestead- but could not see Luke himself.

"Padmé, I'll be damned!" Owen Lars gulped as he emerged carrying a gaffi stick with Beru by his side.

"Owen, Beru, I'm here to see. .. " Padmé proclaimed as she took her veiled helmet off.

"Luke," Owen and Beru groaned together.

" Please, I'm his mother and I haven't seen him since he was born and. .." Padmé begged-somewhat taken aback how much older they appeared than last she'd seen them.

"We know," Owen groaned.

"Please come inside. We'll talk in the kitchen," Beru insisted.

"So, Obi-Wan. ..'Ben' brought Luke to you when he was a year old," Padmé concluded as she drank the blue bantha milk Beru had poured.

"He'd been weaned but Ben didn't tell us how," Owen sighed.

Padmé realized that somehow Yoda had accomplished this with the odd herbs and potions on Dagobah but didn't feel up to telling the Larses this.

" What did . ..Ben tell you?" Padmé asked.

"He told us that Anakin had been in a horrible accident and was in no shape to care for Luke," Owen recalled.

"Accident?"Padmé asked.

"He didn't elaborate," Beru explained.

"He didn't have to. I'd heard about the slaughter of the Jedi Padawans," Owen groaned.

"Owen, that was just a vicious rumor," Beru pleaded.

" He was capable of that. He slaughtered that entire Sand People tent village," Owen groaned.

"Owen, he had just lost his mother. You loved her,too. We all did," Beru recalled while Padmé nodded.

"I hated the adult Sand People men for kidnapping and murdering Shmi,too, and I've had no love for the Sand People either but what he did to their women and children was too terrible," Owen groaned.

"But Luke's not like that. He has Shmi's goodness" Beru pleaded.

"He's got Anakin's impatience. That's why he needs to stay a farmer," Owen proclaimed.

"What do you mean?" Padmé asked.

" Off-Worlders interfered and took Anakin out of here filling his head with big ideas and what did it get him? The only good that came out of that was you and Luke. If he'd stayed with Mama Shmi, we could have grown up together and he'd have never had all that blood on his hands!" Owen insisted.

"Owen, Beru. Luke may be the one to bring Anakin back. .." Padmé pleaded.

"Back from that shell he's inside? I don't care what Ben Kenobi says, I know that that Darth Vader's really Anakin," Owen boiled.

"You're much more insightful than folks give you credit for," Padmé gulped.

" What do I care about other people? If I never had to talk to anyone besides Beru and Luke, that would suit me just fine," Owen snapped.

"I want to thank you two for taking Luke in and. ." Padmé started to say.

"Luke came from Shmi and Shmi was the best thing that ever happened to Papa. I couldn't turn my back on Mama Shmi's grandson. Besides we. . _.I_. . couldn't have children of our own," Owen said rather sadly.

"It wasn't for lack of trying," Beru tried to laugh while giving Owen a look of supportive love.

"Regardless, you two have done a wonderful thing. If you just let me see him once while he's napping, I'll leave," Padmé gulped.

"He's not napping," Owen groaned.

"Luke NEVER naps," Beru laughed.

"He's at Biggs Darklighter's 3rd Birthday Party on the other side of Tashi Station," Owen explained.

"Birthday party?" Padmé asked.

"Mon Darklighter is an old schoolmate of mine and her son Biggs is his best friend," Beru explained.

"Too showy if you ask me," Owen snapped.

"Showy?" Padmé asked.

"Her husband's a food importer but they want the children to enjoy their bounty," Beru added.

"It's getting close to time to picking Luke up from that. We'll take you there," Owen offered.

"Oh, I'd really like that and let me just say that I wish the three of us and Anakin _could_ have lived our lives together," Padmé sighed.

They got within sight of the Darklighter Homestead with its tall stone wall surrounding it with a large fountain in front of the house and a group of small boys playing in the yard.

For a moment, it was hard to sort out among the other small children but a blond boy caught Padmé's attention just as she took off her traveling helmet- LUKE!

"I wanna hit it!" Luke demanded.

"Now, Luke. It's not your turn to hit the tauntaun _piñata_!" Mrs. Mon Darklighter cautioned.

A/N- By an astounding coincidence, in Tatooine, children's birthday parties featured large home made candy-filled objects made in the shape of animals called _piñatas._

"It's okay, Mom. He's the best hitter here and I want candy!" 3-year-old Biggs pleaded.

" Okay, but you need to put on the _piñata_ helmet first, Luke!" Mrs. Mon Darklighter insisted as Luke put on a large dark helmet that looked similar to a turtle that covered his entire face including his eyes.

"I can't see!" Luke whined.

"Your eyes can trick you! Let your legs take you where you need to swing the _piñata _stick!" Mrs. Darklighter insisted.

Padmé's heart felt like it was going to burst. Luke looked like a mini-version of how Anakin had looked when she first had met him so long before. She felt so peaceful seeing him so healthy and happy that she never imagined anything could end that feeling. Then, it happened!

A/N-

Cm1000- Glad you like that Padmé seems on the verge of getting her wish and her traveling companions.

Kinghearts- Yes, I thought ROTS could have ended . .differently than it did without derailing the tale we know- and glad to see that I'm not the only one who wondered about Vader functions.

HotaruFireFly55- Welcome aboard and glad you love this story. I'll update as often as possible but things are starting to get busy again. Hopefully, it won't be too long before the story gets to its conclusion.

Acdecnerd- Glad you think it's great and I'll update ASAP!

"


	8. Hostage

'Hostage' (Chapter Eight)

By Ennon

Out there in the Tatooine wastes just outside the gate, Padmé was finally having her dream realized of seeing and hearing her son Luke again. Had it been almost three years since he was born? It seemed almost like time had frozen since they'd been parted at his birth- yet simultaneously endless ages had passed. How vigorous, curious and rambunctious, Luke was- even disregarding the blond hair Padmé could see he was every bit Anakin's son! She couldn't wait until she could actually hug him. Then, it happened.

"Where did they come from?" Beru asked- in a panic.

"They must have followed us!" Owen replied- picking up his gaffe stick.

"Children! Get inside!" Biggs' mother, Mon Darklighter pleaded as she started to carry her son away.

"But Luke hasn't smashed the _piñata_ !" 3-year-old Biggs wailed.

"No! You're not getting them!" Padmé yelled with all her might as she picked up another gaffe stick from the hovercraft and charged towards the Sand People troop.

"What are you doing?"Owen asked- quite startled to see her take a swing at the armed Sand People

"Keeping them busy until the children are safe! Get them out of here!" Padmé pleaded while whacking several Sand People men.

"But. .." Beru sputtered.

"Just GO!" Padmé begged as she kept swinging even though three Sand People men were swinging back- but were no longer running towards the Darklighter compound.

Beru, Owen, Mr. And Mrs. Darklighter each picked up a boy and started running towards the house- including Beru carrying Luke who still had on his piñata helmet over his face! It was just out of Padmé's sight that a 4th Sand People man banged Luke over the head just before Mon Darklighter was able to slam the doorway shut .Both Beru and Owen banged that Sand People man a great deal to make him leave but Luke was out cold!

Meantime, the other three Sand People men went over the wall and started smashing their target- the Darklighter's ceramic courtyard fountain! Water had long been considered too sacred and precious to Sand People to waste a drop of and they considered the fountain to be a profane insult mocking they who had so little of it. Padmé tried to hold them off but she was outnumbered- yet she believed her diversion had prevented them from doing serious harm to Luke and the other children. It was perhaps fortunate for all concerned that Padmé had no idea of Luke's head injury as the three Sand People men finally overwhelmed her and carried her off while binding her up and wrapping a cloth over her mouth to muzzle her !

Poor Shmi, what terrible frights that dear woman must have endured as they carried her away from all that she loved, Padmé thought. She'd have to think of what had kept Shmi going during that terrible ordeal but, she soon realized that this party of Sand People wasn't taking her to one of their tent villages.

"Any sign of the lady?" Mr. Darklighter asked Owen as he came back from his search.

"No, we'll have to start looking again tomorrow morning! It's too dangerous at night," Owen groaned.

"Can we stay here tonight with Luke, Mon?" Beru asked.

"Of course, Beru. We have more than enough room and it wouldn't be right to send you two out so late at night," Mrs. Mon Darklighter replied.

"I told you the fountain was a bad idea," Owen groaned.

"Don't start," Beru sighed.

"He's right but I keep thinking the Sand People are becoming more tolerant of our ways but then they do things like that," Mr. Darklighter groaned.

"We owe that lady so much for our children's safety. Are you sure you don't know who she is?" Mrs. Mon Darklighter asked.

"She's. .. " Owen started to say but then Beru gave him a warning look.

"Someone who just wanted the children protected," Beru finished. She and Owen had heard about Padmé's Funeral on Naboo three years earlier and they both realized that it simply wouldn't have been safe to trust anyone with the knowledge that she had survived- not even Beru's best friend.

"Unca Owen, Ann Beru," Luke stirred- as Beru patted the compress on his head.

"Thank the Force, he's awake!" Beru exclaimed.

"Why's my head wet?" Luke asked.

"You had a nasty bump," Beru replied.

"What are we doing at Biggs' place?" Luke asked.

"We're here because. .." Owen started to say.

"Can I stay here til Biggs' Birthday Party tomorrow?" Luke asked.

"He doesn't remember,"Beru gasped.

"Maybe if we're lucky, he'll never remember this day," Owen sighed.

They rode on the banthas all night long yet, as tired as Padmé was, she didn't dare sleep because she wanted to know exactly the route to take back to the Lars Farm. She could see the lights of Mos Eisley on the horizon as they ventured onto the other side of it to what appeared to be an ancient fortified monastery. At the morning's first light, they reached the gigantic door where a combination guard/translator droid popped out of the rusted metal door like a huge glass eyeball/machine gun combination and asked the Sand People for information. She heard the unintelligible Sand People language along with Huttese. .but then the word 'Jawa' came up and the door opened just a meter to let a hooded Jawa crawl from inside to translate for the Sand People men while other guards stood at the ready to prevent the Sand People men's entry with weapons directly behind the door. Though, they were bitter adversaries in Tatooine who despised each other, they weren't above using each other to negotiate things from those they considered Outworlders.

"Are you sure this woman will please the Exalted One? The last one you brought was too old," the guard eyeball droid sniffed in Huttese.

The Sand People growled and wailed with great offense then the Jawa translated what they said.

"So you had no choice but to keep her captive for a month after he rejected her- and then her son slaughtered almost all of your village. Don't blame me for that! You're the ones with the Spice habit," the guard eyeball sniffed to the Jawa who translated to the Sand People men.

Anakin never mentioned that poor Shmi had been taken to this awful place but then Padmé realized that there would have been no point in Shmi adding to her humiliation by mentioning that she had been tortured and punished by the Sand People for being rejected by the Exalted One. Padmé wondered who this Exalted One could be but above all hoped it was not. . .

"Show us her face. Hmm, she looks as though she'd be pleasing to him. Very well, we'll let you in with her," the guard eyeball droid sniffed- as the door creaked open the entire way and let in daylight to the large entry way.

The place was even worse on the inside with the worst and most disgusting creatures in the galaxy keeping order in this most disorderly of environs. Anyone who was in charge of all this would not be someone who believed in fairness and reason, Padmé concluded. Then she caught sight of the Exalted One being fanned by several slaves as she was led into the Throne Room..

"I told you NOT to let Sand People men into my. .." Jabba snarled in Huttese.

Padmé's worst fears were realized. For one moment, she thought about crying out for Anakin to save her but then she realized that not only would Darth Vader destroy Jabba, he'd enslave Luke and might even find out about Leia so she instantly decided that she had to endure what she had to as long as she could until she could think of a means of escape on her own.

"Master, I think they're bringing a new acquisition," Bib Fortuna smoothly exclaimed in Huttese.

"Hmm, haven't I seen you before? Maybe from a viso-hologram program," Jabba pondered in Huttese as he reached for Padmé's hair while oozing green slime from the corner of his mouth.

Padmé knew Huttese but she also knew that if she played ignorant of the language, whoever lived here would say more information in front of her that could help her escape but she had no idea how long that opportunity would arise. Oh, how she cringed inside at Jabba touching her but she didn't dare show it on the outside. She simply played ignorant.

"What does it matter. These Sand People men want 10 kilograms of Spice and I want my 1000 unit Translation Commision. Don't you think that's fair enough?" the Jawa snapped in Huttese.

"Bah! 5 Kilograms for them and 700 units for you or the four of you will be Raptor chow," Jabba snarled in Huttese.

The three Sand People men got angry but were soon shouted over by the Jawa.

"Glad you agreed to my terms! Now take your Spice and units and leave me with my new acquisition," Jabba snarled in Huttese.

"Master, do you think it wise to have her?" Bib Fortuna asked in Huttese.

"She's not too old or too sunscorched like most Sand People captives, she'll do _very_ nicely indeed," Jabba chortled in Huttese.

" Take her away to Gorda for her fitting," Bib ordered to the guards in Huttese.

Padmé barely was able to stand on her feet but she did her best to keep up with them as they led her away to a room directly above Jabba's Throne with a metal grille on the floor. Padmé wondered why there was a metal grille on the floor but then she realized it was so Jabba could watch the new slavegirls be stripped of their clothes to be put into clothes of his liking. As revolted as she was by Jabba, Padmé decided that it might be wise to see if she could hear Jabba's conversations while she waited for her new clothing.

"You think our new 'free agent' Solo could get us some more Spice without attracting Imperial attention?" Bib asked in Jabba's Throne Room below (in Huttese).

"He and that snotty Wookiee will be of no concern to me. They're just mere ants to be expended while our big plans come to fruition," Jabba chortled in Huttese.

"Master, I'm not sure that stealing all that Imperial metal and hiding it on our asteroid orbiting Tat VI is such a smart plan. What if they get wind of who we are before we're ready?" Bib asked in Huttese.

"They won't. Not after today! I've just hired the best saboteur in the Galaxy!" Jabba gloated (in Huttese).

"This Boba Fett barely shaves," Bib cautioned in Huttese.

"He's even better than his father was- and he has the inside track we need to REALLY get the Emperor's attention,"Jabba laughed( in Huttese).

"What do you mean?" Bib asked(in Huttese).

"When he gets to Kamino, his thousands of brothers will gladly steer the New Imperial Capital Space Station to where it needs to go. Greedo and Vlov will join help him out," Jabba insisted (in Huttese).

"Master, won't the Emperor try to . ..?" Bib asked in Huttese.

"He'll know I'm no smalltime hood but a force to be dealt with because I'll have what he wants more than anything. He'll gladly let me rule the entire Outer Rim on my own once I let him have his New Imperial Capital Space Station back," Jabba explained in Huttese

"But think of the risk," Bib gasped in Huttese

"Risk! For six centuries, I had to sneak around the Republic to do my operations and the Empire's put a tighter grip than ever before. I'm tired of having to having to watch my back for Imperials along with other gangsters! I want to be the BIG Hutt in the Big Nebula who NO ONE questions my authority," Jabba proclaimed in foul temper in the foulest Huttese possible.

At that moment a six-breasted Askajian female appeared,

"You must be the new acquisition. You're a bit thin, I suppose but you'll be good enough for Jabba until you tire him and then you get to entertain the rest of us by being Rancor chow," the Askajian sniffed in Huttese.

Padmé pretended not to understand her.

"I'm Gorda Medusa, you idiot!" Gorda snarled(in Huttese) as she spat at Padmé.

Padmé shrugged her shoulders and then pointed to Gorda.

"Gorda?" Padmé asked.

"Yes, Gorda! At least you know ONE word. That's good! Now put this bikini on and I'll show you how to dance like Jabba likes it,"Gorda sniffed in Huttese.

"Gorda, how about a quickie before I. ..?"a helmeted man in a jump suit pleaded in Huttese.

"Vlov, you wouldn't be able to say anything if it weren't for that automatic translator in your helmet and neckpiece," Gorda sniffed.

"Maybe so but after I bring back that New Imperial Capital City to Jabba, I won't be able to fight the girls off with a gaffe stick, so what do you say for a quick one before I'm too big for you?" Vlov pleaded.

"Okay. Here! You put this on!" Gorda snarled in Huttese as she opened a small closet door and took one of hundreds of sets of brass bikinis in assorted sizes for every figure imaginable(and unimaginable ) in the galaxy and threw it at Padmé's feet then proceeded to follow Vlov to the next room.

Unbeknowest to them, Padmé had understood everything that was said from the time she arrived at Jabba's Palace. She realized she had never heard anything before about this New Imperial Capital City Space Station(NICCS) but that seemed to be what Darth Vader was threatening the annihilation of everyone over thefts of its materials. If Jabba failed to get the NICCS to the asteroid orbiting Tat VI, it would only be a matter of time before Vader and the other armed forces would investigate Outer Rim criminal activities- and likely turn up Luke's existence in the process. But, if Jabba succeeded, then Luke would have to grow up with Jabba as his overlord and Jabba seemed to be crueler than the Emperor himself even without the same powers. Padmé thought it would be unthinkable to imagine Jabba _with_ Imperial powers over the Outer Rim! Padmé decided right then and there she had to do something to prevent either side from gaining anything by the NICCS to protect Luke, Leia and all the children of the galaxy!

"I've worked with Greedo before but what about this Vlov?" 16-year-old Boba Fett was heard to ask Jabba in the Throne Room below.

"He's one of the best saboteurs I've got! He'll do the job right and keep you two from failing me!" Jabba proclaimed in Huttese.

This gave Padmé an idea.

A/N- cm100--

Yeah, I guess cliffhangers are evil but they sometimes work for the best. Glad you loved the previous chapter and Luke's always been somewhat demanding. I'm very happy you love my characterization of Padmé and think she's cool because I always thought she was too- and thought she deserved better than what they did with her.

Doreen- I hope the wait wasn't too bad! Things got busy but I think this should do for now!


	9. Liberation

"Liberation"( Chapter Nine)

By Ennon

Padmé ached to be reunited with Luke and Leia but she decided neither would be safe until that horrible New Imperial Capital City Space Station (NICCSS) was no more but once it was gone, then she'd reunite with them- and warn Chewbacca and Han of Jabba's evil intentions .She knew this would be her only opportunity to save her family (and the galaxy) from at least one unpalatable fate-and hearing Vlov brag about his skill and Boba Fett get upset over not having worked with Vlov, Padmé knew what she had to do.

While Vlov and the corpulent Askajian female dancer named Gorda Medusa were in the next room getting intimate, Padmé came up with a plan. Since they'd already taken her boots so she couldn't run away across the scorching Tatooine desert , she silently tiptoed in her stocking feet to the doorway of Vlov and Gorda's room.

"Just as I thought. No bounty hunter worth his Spice would go without this," Padmé thought to herself as she picked up two Spice darts from a small pocket of Vlov's boots.

"What the. ..?" Gorda asked in alarm (in Huttese).

"Wanna make it a three-. ..?" Vlov eagerly asked- as the two of them noticed Padmé sneak towards them.

Padmé immediately threw the two Spice darts with her right index finger and thumb one after the other before Gorda or Vlov had a chance to react.

"Unh. . you can't DO that!" Gorda protested in Huttese as she started to get groggy.

"I just did,"Padmé replied.

"Stop!" Vlov gasped as he started to pass out while struggling to right himself to reach Padmé.

"You know, I think your jumpsuit, masked helmet and boots would look better on me!" Padmé pondered as she started putting on Vlov's attire.

"Jabba wants to see that brass bikini!" Gorda protested in Huttese while pointing to Padmé as she passed out.

"If he wants it, let HIM wear it! "Padmé sneered as she threw it at the completely unconsconscious and unclothed couple as she finished putting rags in Vlov's boots so they'd stay on her feet.

Padmé looked in the mirror on Gorda's ceiling and saw Vlov's jumpsuit was slightly big on her but the bagginess would help conceal her gender from the other saboteurs.

"To Kamino, we go!" Padmé exclaimed while turning the voice modifer in Vlov's helmet.

"To Kamino, we go!" the voice modifer translated into Huttese with a somewhat deeper tone.

This would do perfectly, Padmé thought. Vlov and Gorda would be out cold for at least another five hours from the Spice dart (which had enough concentrated Spice to do that on the tip) but, to give herself more of a window, Padmé dragged Vlov then Gorda to the room's nearby wardrobe, bound each of them up together so they couldn't get loose then put a large rag over the two of them in an effort to spare whatever modesty the first individual finding them have in coming upon these two naked beings.

"So, Boba, are you as good as Jabba says?" Padmé (disguised as the masked Vlov with the voice modifer sounding like a male Huttese speaker ) asked as she came upon him on the side of the Throne Room.

"My rep doesn't do me justice," 16-year-old Boba said through his mask.

"Let's cut the chatter and find Greedo so we can get the job done!" Padmé insisted.

"Professional,too! I like that!" Boba proclaimed.

"HEY!" Jabba was heard to yell (in Huttese) from across the room.

"Yes?" Padmé gulped (in Huttese).

"Where's Gorda and the New Acquisition? I don't see them up there!" Jabba snarled (in Huttese) while pointing to the ceiling grate.

Padmé knew she had to think of something quick.

"Oh, Gorda told me to tell you that she and the New Acquisition are planning a special dance for you as soon as they achieve their goal for you!"Padmé (with her voice modified) explained in Huttese.

"Oh, I want to see a preview!" Jabba boomed in Huttese.

"Gorda asks you to wait until their choreography's flawless- otherwise that would spoil things!" Padmé shrugged in Huttese.

"What is it with females and keeping us waiting?" Jabba snarled in Huttese.

"I find the anticipation makes the outcome more rewarding," Padmé proclaimed in Huttese.

"A Bounty Hunter philosopher, who'd have thought?" Jabba laughed in Huttese. .

"Anticipation's what bounty hunting's all about," Padmé proclaimed in Huttese.

"Well, don't anticipate your plan for hijacking the New Imperial Capital City Space Station too long!" Jabba laughed in Huttese while waving Boba Fett, Greedo and Vlov (Padmé in disguise onward).

In a few hours, Jabba took his palace's Freight Elevator up to the next level to Gorda's room to sneak a peak at the new dance she was supposed to be preparing.

"Wake up, you fools! Where's the New Acquisition? When's my dance?" Jabba boiled in Huttese while angrily hitting Vlov and Gorda across their heads.

"What dance?" Gorda asked groggily (in Huttese).

"A seasoned harem tender and a bounty hunter let a single New Acquisition get the better of you two? "Jabba boiled (in Huttese).

"She used my Spice darts to. .." Vlov groaned.

"BAH! You two aren't fit to be Rancor chow but I'll throw your bones to him anyway," Jabba snarled in Huttese as several guards took them away, though he'd later find another 'fat dancer' to replace Gorda.

As the three were coming out of hyperspace shortly before Kamino, Boba told them of the plan.

"I found out that the Emperor has opted to move the construction of his space station to another planet within this hour for security purposes so all we have to do is convince my brothers to help us out," Boba explained.

"Are you sure they won't turn you over?" Padmé (disguised as Vlov) asked.

"No, they'll think I'm doing them a favor on the Emperor's behalf. I'm the only one who got any real brains in the brood," Boba groaned.

Padmé knew that she couldn't reveal who she was to either Greedo or him- but especially not to Boba due to his father Jango having tried to assassinate her earlier and Boba would want to reap the bounty of HER capture if he knew who she was.

"Slave One, you are clear to land, Brother!" Clone #4569832 exclaimed.

"Very good! We're on our way!" Boba exclaimed as he landed their ship in one of the larger of the incomplete New Imperial Capital City Space Station docking bays.

"This certainly doesn't look like it's anything close to a capital city, " Greedo pondered (in Huttese).

"We're not here to dispute the Emperor's architectural tastes just hijack it for Jabba and become the richest private citizens in the galaxy," Boba sniffed.

Padmé silently had to agree with Greedo. She'd seen enough palaces and legislative buildings in her time to know that there was no way even the constructed fragments that appeared to be almost half of the space station could be a capital city.

They were about to land when. ..

"I can barely hear you, Jabba!" Boba protested as they heard some very heated garbled sounds from the transceiver.

"Didn't Jabba tell you? Since we don't want the Empire to have any inkling of who we are or what we're doing, we are to have COMPLETE RADIO SILENCE until we land this space station on the Tat VI Asteroid," Padmé suddenly gulped (in her disguised male Huttese modified voice).

"But why would Jabba himself be . . ?" Greedo asked in Huttese.

"Vlov's right! It could be someone using Jabba's frequency disguising his voice as Jabba to try to entrap us! We're switching off all communication until we achieve our goal,"Boba proclaimed.

" Seek out the steering controls! I'm getting my brothers to release us from Kamino's tractor beam!" Boba exclaimed to Greedo and 'Vlov' as they went in search of the steering controls.

The deeper they ran into the space station, the more Padmé was convinced that this was something military rather than governmental. When she saw the architectural readouts, she shuddered, while there was ample quarters for the Emperor to visit indefinitely onboard, Padmé could see that this New Imperial Capital City Space Station would have enough firepower to destroy any other space vessel in the galaxy- and any PLANET. Padmé shuddered when she realized she was on a proto-Death Star!

"We have permission! Fire the engines so we can get her to her new home!" Greedo laughed while Padmé frantically started the controls.

At once a small battalion of Imperial Star Cruisers gave chase but Padmé knew she had to get this thing into hyperspace to its 'new home' . .but not quite where Greedo and Boba Fett had in mind. With Boba and his thousands of unquestioning brothers shooting surface blaster cannons at the Star Cruisers, Greedo and Padmé were able to get the Proto-Death Star into hyperspace.

"Stolen! How! " boiled Palpatine.

"My interrogations have ascertained that the Clones' were duped by their brother- one Boba Fett," Darth Vader fumed.

"But WHY!" Palpatine asked.

"It would seem there's a challenger to our authority! No worry, I'll crush them as soon as the Proto-Death Star surfaces. I've already put ALL systems in the Empire on alert- making sure they believe it's ONLY a New Imperial Capital City," Darth Vader proclaimed.

"I knew I should have terminated ALL the Clones after you crushed the Separitists. Why didn't I listen to you?" Palpatine asked.

"Perhaps, your trust was misplaced," Darth Vader proclaimed.

"Never again! You're the only one I've ever been able to," Palpatine exclaimed.

"As you are with me, My Lord," Darth Vader reiterated.

"Here we are- and we moved it 27,000 light years without any trouble," Boba exclaimed as they came out of hyperdrive at the edge of the large gaseous surface of Tat VI, the sixth moon in the Tatoo System.

"How much farther to our Asteroid?" Greedo asked.

" Not far at all. It's just below the uppermost layer of Tat VI's atmosphere- and you'll note that it has a 1 kilometer deep coating of oxygen atop it," Boba exclaimed as Greedo and Padmé steered the Proto-Death Star.

" I've never seen so much scrap metal in one spot! Jabba must have stolen months' worth going to Coruscant," Padmé (as Vlov) exclaimed.

"He did but it turned out it wasn't going for the capital planet's construction but for THIS thing- and Tat VI's atmosphere makes a good hiding place for it, " Boba laughed.

"Jabba's used this rock for centuries!" Greedo exclaimed in Huttese.

"Slow down the engines," Boba cautioned.

"Oops! We missed the landing point! We'll have to orbit around Tat VI again," Greedo boiled in Huttese.

"I'll take her around again," Padmé exclaimed.

"We're within reach of the Asteroid. We'll have to start tethering this New Imperial Capital City to it at once! Greedo, follow me so we can get my brothers' help!" Boba exclaimed.

Padmé did a few atmospheric readings of Tat VI while they were hovering. It had a 100,000 kilometer radius with a 628,000 kilometer circumference and was composed almost entirely of liquid hydrogen and helium and was 700 million kilometers from Tatooine.

"This will do nicely. I'll let it do it's thing then escape in Boba's Slave One," Padmé thought to herself while she took the controls.

"We just got a report from the Tantooine System of a large hyperspace disturbance. That must be it!" Darth Vader exclaimed over the radio to Palpatine as his Star Cruiser went into hyperdrive.

"Destroy all on board but spare my Death Star!" Palpatine ordered.

"So be it, My Lord," Darth Vader replied- though not without feeling something amiss.

"Why are we going deeper into Tat VI's atmosphere?" Greedo asked in Huttese as he and Boba Fett were walking the outer perimeter of the Proto Death Star.

"I guess Vlov doesn't want to alert the Imperials needlessly. Good thing this thing has force field insulation or we'd be instant icicles," Boba exclaimed.

" I think we should turn make contact with Jabba now," Greedo suggested in Huttese.

"OK, Jabba we got the. .thing where you want it!" Boba exclaimed over the radio.

"The Newest Acquisition has escaped and disguised herself as Vlov! Bring her back alive! I want to torture her like I've never tortured anyone before!"Jabba boiled in Huttese.

"What!"Greedo and Boba asked in Huttese as they started running.

"Brothers! We've been duped! Seal off ALL doorways and set your weapons for stun!" Boba exclaimed over the Proto-Death Star's public address system.

"The engines' exhaust ports are getting clogged with liquid hydrogen but we're almost at the core! I'm turning on the engines to full strength but keeping them in stall," Padmé contemplated to herself as she switched the engines on full-strength and ran out of the Steering Room towards the dock with the Slave One ship.

"Going somewhere, Vlov or whoever?" Greedo asked in Huttest- as he pulled his blaster on the disguised Padmé.

"Greedo, tell Jabba and the Empire, it's useless!" Padmé (as Vlov) exclaimed in Huttese.

"Death Star Reactor Core Meltdown Imminent! Evacuate Immediately!" the automated PA system exclaimed.

"Come on! We're getting out of here!" Boba snarled as he grabbed Padmé's helmet.

"You're a _woman_! "Boba gasped.

"Yes and I'm not going anywhere with you!" Padmé exclaimed as she kicked Boba in the inseam of his jumpsuit as hard as she could.

"I'll get you!" Boba snarled as he grabbed her again

"No time! We're out of here!" Greedo gulped in Huttese as he pulled the two of them towards the Slave One.

Padmé gave Boba one last push and kick then slammed the Slave One ship which was already having clusters of Clones climbing over it like ants trying to get inside.

"Save us, Brother!" the Clones kept shouting.

"Save yourselves!" Boba snarled as he and Greedo blasted off from the deck of the Proto Death Star.

Suddenly a large boom and a bright light came from the center of the Death Star through its very framework.

"It's happening!" Padmé cringed as she suddenly felt an intense wave of sickness and nausea overtake her.

She was too weak to even move but she felt every single one of her body cells try to expel the massive doses of radiation that was fatally poisoning her. Despite all her best intentions, Padmé joined the chorus of thousands who were now screaming from horrific pain and anguish as their deaths were immiment.

" This is a million times WORSE than having born full-term twins! Goodbye, Luke, Leia and Ani. You'll be free and I'll _always_ love you!" Padmé gasped as she collapsed into oblivion but then felt a wonderous peace and calm like she'd never felt in her life.

At that very moment, the reactor core collapsed then exploded with even more intensity causing the not only proto-Death Star's destruction- but also something no one but Padmé could have predicted. In less than a millionth of a second, the intense heat and radiation from the exploding Proto-Death Star caused the liquid hydrogen of Tat VI to vaporize. .and then suddenly IGNITE!

"Mama!" the nearly 3-year-old Luke Skywalker exclaimed as the night sky of Tatooine was lit up by a brightness so unbelievable that it even went inside his shuddered bedroom window.

"What's happening!" Beru and Owen Lars gasped as they threw their arms around each other in their now-brightly lit bedroom then ran towards Luke's room to protect him.

"Luke, are you alright?" Beru asked as the three noticed the intensity abating a bit- but then seeing in the Tatooine sky. . .

A NEW WHITE SUN!

A/N- Alright, I know, I know that Lucas had the 2nd sun of Tatooine from the beginning in the Star Wars Saga but let's have our sun here in this AU

" I don't believe it!" Owen gulped along with every other inhabitant of Tatooine at that moment who was staring at the new sun that had already completely consumed and Jabba's Asteroid and all the ill-gotten materials stored on it. .

"Mama's dead but she loves me!" Luke proclaimed with tears in his eyes- as he hugged his aunt and uncle.

"You think it's possible?" Owen asked while looking at Beru- not sure whether to resume his search for his stepsister-in-law.

"What do they mean there's a new star in Tatooine System?" Bail asked Yuermina as they were in their large canopied bed in their bedchamber in the Royal Palace in Aldera City in Alderaan watching a newsflash on the viso-hologram at the foot of their bed.

"We won't see it for another 38,000 years here. Too bad light speed hasn't caught up to hyperspace travel, as well as radio and viso-hologram instant transmissions," Yuermina scoffed.

"My Mama's dead but she loves me! My Mama's dead but she loves me!"the nearly 3-year-old Leia exclaimed as she ran into Bail and Yuemina's bedroom.

"Calm down! What are you talking about, I'm right here!" Yuermina said with a start as she and Bail covered themselves up to their chests in bedsheets while putting their arms to hug Leia.

"Mamie's gone and never coming back! My Mama's dead but she loves me!" Leia sobbed.

"Dear child, you know perfectly well that I'm your mother but she just took care of you," Yuermina exclaimed as she hugged Leia.

"We'll tuck you back in your bed. You just had a bad nightmare, Leia," Bail consoled.

"No, I know what I know," Leia insisted as she stomped her foot.

"It's okay! She did a wonderful job caring for you and your brothers. ." Yuermina started to say.

"They're not my REAL brothers," Leia protested.

"Of course they are, sweetheart. Just like we're your real parents! We'll always miss Mamie,too, but life will go on and be wonderful. You'll see!" Bail exclaimed as he and Yuermina hugged Leia and Bail slipped on his robe from under the sheets to cover his torso as he carried Leia back to bed.

"You've done a wondrous thing for us all, my lady! When your children are ready to hear and believe, I'll share it with them!" Yoda proclaimed on Dagobah.

"What is it, Chewie? Did you say Maddie?"Han gulped after Chewbacca let out a terrible, mournful cry.

"I'm sorry, too, Pal," 16-year-old Han Solo gulped as he hugged the wookiee.

As his ship came out of hyperspace, Darth Vader recalled that nightmare he'd had about Padmé a lifetime earlier and she seemed to be in even worse pain than one would usually have for childbirth- but she seemed oddly triumphant. For the first time in three years (and the last time in many more years), he decided NOT to share his insight with Palpatine but take some comfort in the knowledge that somehow he was reminded that she had stayed faithful to him no matter what.

Was this the end for Padmé? There was more to come. . .

Many years later, on an orbiting Medical Space Station as they watched

Chewbacca and Lando Calrissian blast the Millenium Falcon off for the Outer Rim System of Tatoo I (and the newer bright star Tatoo II) in search of the carbo-frozen Han Solo, Luke looked at his new prosthetic right hand and sighed.

"What's wrong?" Leia asked.

" I just wish Aunt Beru were here. She used to be the one who patched me up after I got myself in jams. Did Queen Yuermina ever do that for you?" Luke asked.

"Sometimes but not as often as my real mother," Leia replied.

"Real mother? I thought Her Majesty was," Luke gulped.

" I think she loved Papa enough to overlook his indiscretion with my Nursemaid Mamie and love me as her own daughter but I always knew that Mamie was my mother and I never doubted she loved me," Leia sighed.

"Did they ever tell you?" Luke asked.

"No, I just had the feeling,"Leia sighed.

"What happened to this nursemaid?" Luke asked.

"I just remember knowing she'd died," Leia sighed.

" I remember that,too, with my own mother," Luke groaned.

"Sir, the Medical Droid says you need to avoid stress so she advises you to get some more rest," Threepio insisted.

"Okay, we'll go over that another time," Luke sighed as he got back into his medical bed.

Roughly a year later, the Rebels celebrated the Destruction of the Second Death Star and the Death of the Emperor on the Forest Moon of Endor. After Luke saw the ghostly figures of Obi-Wan,Yoda and Anakin Skywalker give him their blessing, he wasn't all that perturbed when the celebration wound down just a little- just enough for Threepio to actually HEAR what Artoo had been frantically beeping ever since he heard news of the Emperor's Death.

"General Solo, General Calrissian, Chewbacca, Master Luke, Mistress Leia, Artoo suggests that since we likely will soon be parted to help the Galaxy heal, that we should gather one last time together in the Millenium Falcon," Threepio interpreted.

"Why not? It's been the closest thing to home any of us have known these past four years," Leia laughed.

"You're calling my 'bucket of bolts' home? I don't know how much better things can get!" Han beamed as he and Leia hugged.

In a short time, they were all back at the Millenium Falcon going over the past four years.

"Message? Haven't we gotten into _enough_ trouble over your messages?" Threepio shudderred as Artoo stomped his pedals.

"This should be good," Han scoffed.

"Maybe it's porno!" Lando laughed.

"You'd better close your eyes, Leia,"Luke laughed.

"Oh, no. We owe Artoo too much to ignore him," Leia insisted- not knowing how MUCH as yet.

After a few rounds of beeps, Artoo was beaming a viso-holograph to the center of the group.

"Greetings, Children! If Artoo's playing this, that means the Empire has FALLEN and I'm going to join you in celebrating its defeat," the brunette in a khaki jumpsuit with folded hands exclaimed but it wasn't just her beauty that took everyone's breath away.

"Mama!"Luke and Leia exclaimed with a gulp at the very same time while Chewbacca let out a triumphal roar.

"Your mother's. .. _Maddie_?" Han gulped.

"I thought Leia looked familiar," Lando laughed.

"I'd like to think I'm standing there with the rest of you and you two are wondering how such an old crone could have started out so young while looking at this," Padmé half-laughed.

Luke,Leia and Chewbacca all sighed.

"But if not, then celebrate anyway because you're FREE! There's so much I've wanted to tell the two of you these last three years," Padmé beamed.

"I know," Luke sighed.

"But that would have put you in danger from the Emperor Palpatine and I love you too much to let him or anyone else do you any harm- even if that means you can't know who I am or spend your lives with me!"Padmé sighed.

Chewbacca groaned.

"Leia, you may remember me as Nursemaid Mamie but my name is Padmé Amidala Skywalker! You don't know how WONDERFUL it is to say that again and your father is Anakin Skywalker but, if he survives, he's forgotten that I'm sorry to say. However, you two havehim inside you and you have me and I believe that with our combined strength, he'll remember who he really is and when he DOES, the Empire won't last!" Padmé exclaimed triumphantly.

"You were right, Mama," Luke nodded to Padmé's image.

"Luke, I'll always regret that I didn't get to spend your first few years with you like I did with Leia but I believe the Jedi Master Yoda has brought you to where you need to be at this time,"Padmé exclaimed.

"Jedi Master Yoda? Kid, that's what you were babbling about in Hoth," Han exclaimed with a snap of his fingers.

Luke nodded.

"But from the moment I knew I had conceived, I've always loved you and Leia " Padmé exclaimed as her image put out her arms in embrace.

Despite both knowing the image had no substance, both Luke and Leia embraced the air edging where it filled the room.

"Just like there was chaos and uncertainty even during the Republic, there will likely be times of that again even with the Empire Fallen but use this time of Celebration and Triumph to strengthen your resolves and use the knowledge that I'll always love and be with you two in spirit to comfort you in those dark times. Take care and continue to live lives to make me proud of you two. I love you!" Padmé exclaimed as her image faded.

"Thanks, Artoo I'll always be grateful to you for playing that for us!"Leia exclaimed.

"Bring her back, please!" Luke sniffed.

Artoo beeped a bit.

"What!" Leia asked.

"He says that he will make viso-holograph copies for any of you here to replay whenever you like," Threepio beamed.

"Great!" Leia exclaimed.

" But that he believes you need time to let her image soak in to appreciate her. What kind of talk is that from a DROID!"Threepio sniffed.

"If I didn't know any better, I'd say Artoo's had a crush on Mama," Luke half-laughed.

"So, you and Chewie knew Mama," Leia laughed while banging Han's shoulder.

"We picked her up on Alderaan and took her to Tatooine but she only kissed me once- on the forehead. Nothing happened between us,I swear!"Han Solo gulped while raising his right hand.

"Tatooine! When!" Luke asked.

"Oh, 20 years ago! Just two days before Tat VI gas planet got turned into the Tatoo II Sun," Han explained.

"Yeah, and that was just one day before Biggs's 3rd Birthday Party. I remember Sand People crashing it and. . .a lady banging them off. .then the next day I remember Tatoo II lighting the sky for the very first time. Whenever I felt down and hopeless, I used to look at Tatoo II rising while Tatoo I was setting and would get inspired. Now I know WHY! That lady was Mama and now know I DO have a memory of her! " Luke exclaimed while he and Leia hugged.

Chewbacca barked in agreement.

"Old Jabba cursed that 2nd sun the rest of his days. Talked about how it and the 'new acquisition harem girl' robbed him of his empire," Han laughed.

"Whenthe Rebel Alliancefound the readouts of the First Death Star, we found out that there'd been a Proto-Death Star built sixteen years before but it got destroyed. We never knew how but now it looks like Mama gave us sixteen years to gain strengthbefore it was rebuilt," Leia concluded.

Chewbacca chortled a bit.

"Yeah, you and Maddie. .er Padmé um Mrs. Skywalker were right about Jabba and she was right about you but I ain't regretting signing up with him," Han scoffed.

"Are you kidding! After ALL he put you through!" Lando sputtered.

"And all that debt he tricked you into?" Leia boiled.

"Yeah, he did a lot of stuff to me and I ain't proud of all the jobs I did for him but if I hadn't gotten into hock with him, I'd have never met you two or met up again with Lando!" Han proclaimed as he pointed first to Leia and Luke with two fingers then to Lando with one.

"So why didn't you tell Jabba that you'd picked up Mama or where she came from?"Luke asked.

Chewbacca barked a bit.

"Really, Chewbacca! I can't believe you'd have torn General Solo's arms off if he said anything about her," Threepio gulped.

"So, I'd have had to learn to eat and steer with my feet," Han shrugged.

"How can you be so calm?" Threepio sputtered.

"Cos Chewie just wanted me to THINK he'd do that. Besides, I didn't want anything bad to happen to anyone linked with Maddie. .er Mrs. Skywalker either," Han explained.

Chewbacca growled proudly.

"Yes, I guess you two have grown for the better," Threepio surmised.

"So, Kid, was that swamp where ya found that Jedi Master Yoda still buggy?"Han laughed.

"How did you know?"Luke gulped.

"Chewbacca steered the Falcon to his home on the way to Tatooine. We'll have to trade notes with Leia," Han laughed.

"So tell me, how much of a scoundrel WERE you with Mama?" Leia laughed with a raised eyebrow as Han, Luke and Lando all followed out of the Falcon for some fresh Endor air.

" If Padmé was your mother. . what became of your father Anakin Skywalker anyway?"Han asked as they walked out.

Luke and Leia both made VERRY deep Vader breathing noises then laughed while Han shuddered while they exited..

"You certainly outdid yourself for droid dedication this time! There'll be no existing with you. " Threepio sniffed to Artoo then walked off to join the others watching the fireworks.

Chewbacca nodded at Artoo and patted Artoo's hood then and Artoo beeped affirmatively. Even though the Wookiee and the droid didn't share so much as a single word in common, they both knew WHY Artoo had stayed with Padmé,kept aclosewatch on her children,kept his memory intact, endured countless hardships and saved that message through two decades and several blasts. They each knew even though they both knew it could never be more than platonic both Chewbacca and Artoo DID love Padmé more than anyone else they'd ever meet in partbecause she believed in them more than anyone else had! From this point onwards, Chewbacca and Artoo would have a nonphysical, wordless bond no one else would understand- and they'd cherish the memories of Padmé along with that bond the rest of their lives!

-END-

A/N- Okay, it's now finished and I hope my dedicated readers (and any future readers coming upon this) find this and like it. As I said earlier, I REALLY think Padmé was cool and she (and her twins) deserved a better exit for her than in ROTS. I think Padmé was someone who COULD have contributed more than she did without disrupting the storyflow or trashing any of the characters.

Cm1000- Yeah, Padmé got into a fix but, I think it was possible to get herself out of it. Glad to see you picked up how I twisted things from the original trilogy to bring them into this. I hope what Padmé planned was worth reading and I totally agree with you about Jabba. Thanks for all your encouragement these chapters and I hope things go great for you!

Jaina solo Potter- Glad you think this story's awesome and I hope you like how it ends.

Doreen- Summer's busy and I'm glad you understand but I hope you don't mind it being roughly a day later and I hope this chapter's as good as the rest for you!


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